So Surreal So Real
by Hope Swings
Summary: Things always happen to other people. And when they don't, it seems like you are the only one in the world going through it, or it's all just a dream. But the reality is, is that when life seems so surreal, it's all so real.
1. Chapter 1

**So Surreal – So Real**

**Chapter One**

The methodical slapping of cards on the table was the only sound permeating the concentration-charged room except for the occasional grunt or soft-spoken curse. All of a sudden, there was a loud explosion of laughter and plastic folding chairs crashing on the concrete floor.

"What the hell!" a gruff male voice roared as the laughter grew louder.

"Sorry, no more spoons. You gotta sit out now," another male voice, shaking with laughter replied.

"Hey! You never said anything about that!" the first voice argued indignantly.

"Hm… Really?... Nope, nope. We mentioned it before we started playing, I remember. One of the rules we all agreed upon." There was a pause as the smoother, careless voice's owner silently went over the aforementioned rules in his head. "Yep. And I quote: 'Most importantly, if you fail to gain ownership of one of these lovely white, cheep plastic spoons three times, not necessarily in a row – meaning you _lose_ for three rounds – you will be eliminated from the game until a champion is named and a new game of Spoons is started up again. Then it's fair game and all are welcome, providing there're enough spoons…'"

"Oh."

"Yep. So, Yash," a new, edgy baritone voice joined the other two, "looks like you're out. And… seeing as how you're the first one… You can go on a beer run! Don't forget to buy the _good_ stuff and not the cheep, crappy shit you like!"

The voice deigned 'Yash' mumbled something about shoving something up someone's ass, but a chair scrapped against the concrete ground and the sound of rustling fabric as 'Yash' moved across the nearly empty room was evident.

"Oh, Inuyasha!" The second voice called hastily before the first could yank the door open. "Could you pick up some food, too? Maybe burritos or nachos? Oh! And those crunchy cheesy things that turn your fingers orange! Please?"

"What am I? That wussy teacher thrown in jail for killing a diabetic horse from Half Baked?"

"…Yes?"

"Ah! Whatever! I'll be back in twenty minutes! Don't start another game without me!"

"I don't know 'bout that! I mean, it _is_ just Kouga and me, and the final round in this game goes pretty fast…"

"Whatever, Miroku! I'll be back soon!"

A door slammed and an angry young man with long silver hair stomped away from the garage's side door, scowling at the sidewalk as he trudged down to the 7-Eleven on the corner. Inside the dimly lit storage space, the second speaker turned to the man beside him with a shrug.

"So, Kouga," he said casually. "Shall we use your spoon or my spoon?"

"Shut up, Miroku!" Kouga swiped irritably at the slobbery spoon dangling from Miroku's mouth and tossing it aside, slapping his own plastic spoon on the table. "Just pass me the cards!"

x

Rin Takawaki walked up the paved pathway to a grey-blue townhouse, smiling brightly. A yellow backpack was slung over one shoulder and she carried a portable amp in one hand and a bass guitar case in the other. Whistling a light on-the-spot tune, she leaned the case against the porch and opened the forest-green door, stepping into complete chaos.

The sight that greeted her was conducted in true Taijiya family fashion. Sango Taijiya, the eldest child, was running around, searching for her pick jar (if what Rin caught of the teenager's frantic muttering was correct). Kohaku, Sango's twelve-year-old brother, was rolling around on the floor in a gigantic wrestling match with his friend, Souta Higurashi, and a few other boys from the neighborhood, bumping and rolling into furniture that had already been pushed against the walls of the living room. Mr. Taijiya was just waking up, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he walked into the hallway in only a pair of faded, dark blue sweatpants. He would probably retreat to the shed in the back yard to work on some project or another later.

Smiling brightly, Rin cheerily called out a greeting before striding into the cheery, yellow kitchen to find Ayame Yuki already sitting at the round table, tapping on the worn wooden surface with her fingers, headphones attached to her ears. Sinking into the chair opposite her, Rin poured herself a bowl of cereal and dug in, patiently waiting for Sango to appear.

After a while, the eldest Taijiya child burst through the swinging door clutching a glass jar filled with multi-colored guitar picks to her chest. Rin glanced knowingly at the girl and continued rinsing out her bowl. Ayame cracked open a green eye and paused in her tapping to calmly observe the frantic brunette. Sliding her headphones from her head to hang around her neck, Ayame stood up, shoving her beat up iPod into her back pocket, still playing. Nodding at Sango, she walked to the door that lead to the garage and strutted in confidently. Rin smiled and picked up her equipment and followed after the redhead. A dazed Sango stumbled in after.

The three girls silently took up their positions, Rin plugging in her amp and unpacking her bright orange and yellow bass, thumbing the strings to make sure they were in tune. Ayame shook her head at the strangely colored instrument before twirling her drumsticks and pumping the bass and cracking the snare drums. Sango humbly hooked up her hot pink and black and white paint-splattered guitar, fishing around in her pick jar before extracting a purple pick. Once they were all set up, Sango nodded to Ayame, the redhead giving a whooping shout before crashing her sticks into the gleaming brass cymbals.

Rin beamed, thumbing out a steady beat, the deep chords resonating in the girls' chests. Sango's fingers glided smoothly over the neck of her guitar, the first few chords ringing through the lighted garage. Stepping up to the microphone, Sango took a deep breath before her voice came over the slow music, breathy and hushed.

As the song progressed, the music picked up speed and grew louder, Sango's voice rising and falling as she hammered on the guitar in her hands. Eyes screwed shut, she blocked out the rest of the world, letting the music consume her, pouring her soul into the liberating moment.

"_I don't want to hear the words coming out of your mouth – Stop! Why don't you analyze your thoughts – Before you speak your mind – And make all this even worse than it really is!"_

Rin and Ayame shared a quick smile before returning to their world of music. Starting _Common Ground_ was definitely a good idea. They'd never seen Sango so happy since the what had happened a few years ago… Now, it was almost as if they'd gotten the old Sango back.

X

"Whop whopwhopwhop whopwhop whop whop whop…"

The raven-haired sixteen-year-old's chin slipped from its position in her right hand, propped up by the desktop. Jerking into shocked alertness, she whipped her head around in an attempt to regain her bearings. Realizing she was sitting in class and her English teacher was lecturing on… something, she sighed and slumped further down in her seat. Glancing down at the paper on her desk, her eyes widened at the lack of notes and the plethora of pencil-drawn doodles beneath a thin layer of drool. Shaking her head, she picked up her pencil and flipped open her binder to a blank sheet, attempting to catch up.

Twenty minutes later, she tottered out of the classroom door, clutching her backpack to her chest. Rubbing at her eyes blearily with the back of her hand, she allowed the crowd of high school students to carry her down the hall towards the cafeteria. Today was just not her day. Maybe pulling an all-nighter wasn't such a good idea after all…

"Kagome!" a voice called from behind her excitedly. "Kagome! Excuse me! Hey! Watch it! Pardon me! Kagome! Over here!"

A hand descended upon her shoulder and a body jostled into her, an angry curse said under the person's breath in her ear, warm breath fanning out on the back of her bare neck – causing goose bumps to rise on her arms. The hand shoved her into the girls' bathroom and she stumbled into the sink, her backpack spilling onto the floor. Gasping for breath, she turned to face the person who'd caused her papers to scatter all over the floor. Groaning softly, she knelt down to gather up the mess on the floor, shoving the other girl on the floor lightly.

"Yuka! Look what you did!" she chided, smiling behind her hand and ducking her head so as to not betray her amusement.

"I'm so sorry, Kagome! I didn't mean to! It was an acci –"

"It's okay, Yuka. Don't worry about it. You just startled me, is all. And I didn't get much sleep last night either, so, you know."

She waved it off and stuffed the crinkled papers into her bad, bending down to check if any had slipped under the stalls. Yuka peered at her back, eyes narrowed and nose wrinkled in concentration. Frowning, she shook her head but leaned back against the edge of the sink. Kagome snatched a paper from beneath a stall and moved on to the next, not noticing the look on her friend's face.

"All-nighter again, huh?" Yuka drawled. Kagome paused in her paper search crouched on the tiled floor. "You know that's not good for you. How many have you pulled this month? Five already? It's _November_! You're going to get sick!"

Kagome stood up and sighed. Brushing off her jeans, she moved over to the sink and gazed at her reflection in the panoramic mirror. She knew Yuka was staring at her and expecting an answer, but she just didn't have one.

"Yuka…" she finally sighed out. "You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine. Besides, it's almost December and Winter Break's coming up. I'll catch up on sleep then, okay?"

"That's not what I mean, Kagome, and you know it! You barely eat anything, either!"

"That's what gorging at Thanksgiving's for!"

"You're such an idiot! Can't you see that Ayumi, Eri, and I worry about you! I don't even want to think about how terrified your family is for you!" Yuka yelled, pushing at her shoulder lightly.

Just then, a group of chatty freshmen walked in, shrieking and cackling loudly. The two girls just looked at them from the corner of their eyes, freezing the girls in their tracks, not even a foot inside the bathroom. Kagome could see cigarettes halfway out of gaudy little shoulder purses and mentally scoffed, not so much at the cigarettes as at the ridiculous handbags. The gaggle of girls quickly retreated, stuttering apologies and excuses, designer shoes tripping over each other's feet as they hastily backpedaled through the door.

"How can they worry when they don't know?" Kagome hissed at her, snapping her gaze to her friend once the coast was clear, pinning her with a glare that had her taking a step back in shock.

Yuka had never seen her long-time friend so volatile and it scared her. Scooping up her backpack, she turned to the door. Glancing over her shoulder at her rigid-backed friend, she sighed and pushed open the door.

"I'm sorry, Kagome. But I can't help worrying about you. I guess I'll see you around, then," she paused, waiting for a response. When none came, she sighed, muttered a soft "bye", and left the bathroom and Kagome behind, refusing to look back, despite the tears clouding her vision.

In the bathroom, Kagome sighed and rested her head against the cool surface of the mirror, bracing her body on her arms locked on the lip of the sink. Her fingers curled around the sink, knuckles turning white from her strong grip on the dark-grey tile. Eyes squeezed shut and jaw clenched, she tried to steady her breathing and heart rate, her arms shaking from the strain. Finally, she stepped away from the sink and exhaled through her nose. Running a hand through her long, dark hair, she yanked her bag onto her shoulder and exited the bathroom, heading in the opposite direction of the large communal cafeteria. She didn't have much of an appetite…

E

_I couldn't help it. Inspiration hit and I had to run with it. This is the third or fourth draft I've written for this on idea and just felt right. Everything will make more sense later, but I just had to get this started. I hope you've enjoyed it so far, though. Oh, and just for the record, any song lyrics I include will be completely _original_. So I'm not borrowing anyone's ideas or songs. I like making up my own. Until next time! – Hope Swings_


	2. Chapter 2

**So Surreal – So Real**

**Chapter Two**

They'd been together ever since they could remember. Well, Shippou could remember. They might have hung out together before he came along. But that was all he knew. The earliest he could remember all of them being together was the day he first met them. That day when he was around seven, and his family had first moved to the neighborhood. The three of them – Inuyasha, Kouga and Miroku – had been making a stink bomb in a vacant lot on the edge of town.

"They looked so cool," the young redhead breathed, staring up at his ceiling, head pillowed by his folded arms.

'_But they were so much older and wanted nothing to do with me.' _He thought bitterly, green eyes narrowing at the memory.

_He'd just been peddling around on the shiny red bike he'd just gotten for his birthday, the sun shining down on his coppery head, making him squint against the glare. The prickle on the back of his neck warned of the beginning of a sunburn he would later feel the consequences of. But right then he didn't care, intent on enjoying his freedom from his grouchy mother and the mountain of cardboard boxes in the moving van (most of which he was too small to move, much less lift, thank God). _

_Grinning, he sped around a corner, self-made wind pushing his bangs off of his sweaty forehead. But the next second, he was screeching to a stop. The fenced off area of weedy grass was talking! …In three different voices…? Edging his bike further, he peered around the old wooden fence cautiously… Only to witness the coolest, most exciting thing of his entire life! Oh my God! Of course, being only seven-years-old meant he hadn't seen much – even less of the exciting or cool variety – so that wasn't saying much. But for a calm, old person-filled suburb, this was pretty cool and exciting._

_There, off in the farthest corner, were three older boys bent over an array of bottles, jars and who-knows-what, mixing and stirring and snickering quietly all the while. And if the horrendous smells the corner was omitting were any indication, it did indeed seem very fun and amusing, especially to a young boy who only lived with his mother and father. The young Shippou was interested to see more, but just then, one of the boys just happened to glance over his shoulder and catch a glimpse of his bright hair._

"_Oi! What're you doing around here, you little runt?" he called, jumping to his feet and quickly striding forward. _

_Shippou gave a soft 'eep!' and scuttled back to his bike and hightailed it out of there before they could chase him down and beat the crap out of him. Of course that very thought had crossed the boys mind, but he wasn't going to act on it. Who would willingly desert a stink bomb at the age of ten? Not him, for sure. Besides, whom would the little shrimp tell? His mom? Please. Like he even knew what they were doing!_

_Of course, Shippou didn't tell anyone. He was too smart for that. After all, why would he tell someone like his mother when all he wanted to do was hang out with the 'big boys' with the super-cool stink bomb? He wouldn't tell anyone, only because tattling would diminish his chances to be part of their group. They'd never trust him if he did that. Shippou was a certified genius for his age. How else would he be able to skip three grades and be the top of his class? No, tattling would ruin his chances of ever being able to fit in, genius or no._

_Over the next couple of years, Shippou trailed the three like a dog. Sure, he might have been annoying at times because of his constant presence, but he_ did_ come in handy with new pranks and trying to keep up the innocent act. But even with his amazing brainpower and helpfulness, they still never really accepted him – he was always more of a cute mascot than anything else._

"Until they _really_ needed me," he mumbled with a jaw-popping yawn. "After all, you can't have a 'hard-core' rock band without a drummer…"

_It was a new school year and Shippou wasn't in the mood to get up. He was starting his first day of middle school and wasn't too excited. Sure, the guys were going to be there but he knew they weren't really _his guys_. Heck, they barely tolerated him. No, he was starting seventh grade at the age of ten. Ten-year-olds would normally be starting fifth grade, but not him. He was special – an exception. And at the age of ten, facing ridicule from his 'peers' for five years, going on six, he wasn't too thrilled. Maybe if he was an average student, he might have gotten along fine. But, as fate would have it, he was ranked number one, the top of his class, valedictorian, all that and a bag of chips. And _that_ was the reason he didn't want to go to school._

_He'd begged his parents last year to let him be home schooled. But his mother was a lawyer and had no time, and neither did his father, who was the CEO of a big networking company in the middle of something or other – whether it be new fall seasons, summer premiers, or heading off or creating all sorts of publicity for celebrities and the like. At the suggestion of a tutor or special curriculum, his parents just proclaimed that their son would go to school with other kids, whether they were his age or not – end of discussion. _

_So there he was the first day of school seeing how long he could put off getting up and ready before Clarisse, their housemaid and his self-appointed nanny, barged in and smacked him with her broom and frog marched him into the shower. Of course, he already knew from the previous year when it took precisely twelve minutes and thirty-two-point-six seconds. And this year would keep up the tradition. Not that it really mattered in the long run. Testing his boundaries as far as they would go without breaking was as far as he went. He'd been doing it for months now and it was starting to get pretty boring. He was the good-goody, apple-shiner with the perfect grades and the perfect record and the perfect life. And the sad thing was that even he was starting to believe it and accept it._

_He arrived at school right before the first bell rang, giving him enough time to hike it up to his first period class. Which was a good thing considering he had no one to really hang out with and banish his lonely helplessness. The day went by in a blur of schedules, class rules and syllabuses, grumpy lunch ladies, spit wads, and 'Kick Me' signs stuck to his back. Sure, some of his classes seemed interesting and a scarce few of his teachers were decent and the food – although served by women who looked like men and acted like talking/grunting boars – was much better than elementary school food. But the whole day just seemed miserable and made the whole 'middle school experienced' dulled and tarnished even further in his mind._

_By the time the last bell rang, signaling the end of seventh period, Shippou was almost to the point of kissing the floor covers of Clarisse's beat-up Volvo, grease stains and all. Of course, he didn't do _that_, but he did dive head first into the back seat, nearly coming close. When they pulled into his driveway, Shippou had the second-greatest surprise of his life. There, leaning over the handlebars of their custom mountain bikes, sat his three gods – Inuyasha, Miroku and Kouga. Shippou almost launched himself out of the car and at their torsos. Almost._

_What he did do, was calmly slide out of his seat and nod a greeting at the older boys, striding up his front steps and tossing his oversized backpack into the front hall, shrugging when papers went flying as his bag exploded, zippers busted. He then turned and regarded them 'calmly and coolly.' Really, he was shaking in his sneakers. But like they really needed to know_ that.

"_Hey, what's up?" he said from the shade of his porch, arms crossed, legs planted firmly shoulder-width apart._

_They seemed to be appraising him seriously, contemplating whether it was worth it or not, whatever 'it' was. Finally, Miroku nodded, promptly followed by Kouga. Inuyasha was a bit more hesitant but finally consented even if majority ruled and his vote would probably be vetoed if he disagreed. Coming up to him they clapped him on the shoulder and congratulated him on passing, welcoming him into the group._

"_Wait, wait," he broke them off, confused. "What, exactly, am I a part of now?"_

_Sure, he was jumping for joy inside, but that day had been so crappy and his mood so spoiled, that he was a tad more partial to suspect that this was all a big rues, and they'd all be laughing at his expense later on. All three erupted in loud, obnoxious peals of laughter at his question, finding it absurdly hilarious. Shippou just waited for their amusement to die down, regarding them as if they were all fit for the big padded rooms and men with white coats and big needles. They finally calmed down and realized he really had no idea what they were talking about. Finally, Miroku decided to give him a break and explain._

"_Shippou, welcome to _Brand New Breed_. You're our new drummer," he said very matter-of-factly._

_To which, Shippou's jaw promptly dropped and he almost keeled over. That, of course, called for even more laughter on the three older boys' parts and Shippou to continue staring at them in open-mouthed shock. Eventually, he regained enough sense to invite them in for something to eat, which they heartily accepted._

_That turned out to be not such a good idea, seeing as how they almost emptied the refrigerator, freezer, cupboards,_ and _pantry, leaving almost nothing for Clarisse to cook dinner with. She eventually chased them out and they left with wide smiles and inflated egos the size of Texas. _

That first day of middle school so long ago, Shippou went to bed content and with a sense of belonging. And the weekend after, he'd set out and began his new life as the drummer for _Brand New Breed_ by convincing Clarisse to get him a full drum set. Yep, life had certainly begun to look up. Except for the fact that not even after five years of being one of them they still refused to include him in their weekly card game nights. Sure, life had started to look up that day, and he didn't feel so lonely all the time, but sometimes life just really sucked.

X

While Shippou was lethargically reminiscing, Inuyasha was across town, grumbling at his terrible luck. Not only did he have to go access enough food and booze to satisfy his two best friends and band mates' insatiable hunger, he also just happened to run into Nancy, his most recent girlfriend he'd dumped the previous week over something or other; he couldn't remember. Let's just say it wasn't a very pleasant experience for the eighteen-year-old. And as a result, he was still beer and snack-less.

So now, he was trudging around the small shopping district trying to find someplace he could purchase the needed items that was still open. And it being almost one in the morning, his chances were slim – very slim. He really wanted to get back to another game of Spoons, too. Well, it looked like that wasn't happening in the near future…

Glancing up dejectedly, his amber eyes suddenly spotted a… A bright, neon sign! He was saved! Hallelujah! At that moment, that sign was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, even if a few of the letters were either not working at all or blinking like an eye with lint in it, and it was probably just another greasy twenty-four hour liquor store…

Pushing the swinging door open, Inuyasha stepped into the fluorescent-lighted room full of racks of chip bags, candy bars, energy drinks, and cheep magazines. Glancing at the lady behind the counter, he perused the isles, grabbing whatever looked good at first glance. He really didn't care, as long as he could get back to the game as soon as possible.

Eventually, he found himself standing in front of the large refrigerators in the back, eyeing the beer on the bottom-most shelf, debating whether he should risk it or not. If he was lucky, he could walk out of there with a six-pack of beer and not get carded. Or, he could just not slide open the door and reach for the cold cans of Coors and just go for the Monster on the shelf above it… Apparently, he didn't have to make the decision, seeing as how his hand went for the beer anyway. Shrugging, he nestled the pack under his arm, juggling the armfuls of assorted snack-food items.

Turns out he was lucky that night, too. The lady with the big hair behind the counter didn't even look at his face; much less ask to see an ID. She was too engrossed in her paperback book hidden under the counter that he, ahem, wasn't supposed to see. Inuyasha just smirked as he exited the shop, plastic bags in each hand. Time to make a comeback in Spoons back at the garage!

On the walk back to Miroku's house, Inuyasha, the neighborhood 'Mr. Cool' actually had a light spring in his step and whistled softly to himself. His mood had obviously risen since his defeat at Spoons earlier if the swinging bags of groceries was any indication. He seemed almost like a different person!

Upon arriving back to the dimly lit garage, his mood plummeted once more. Not only were his friends not playing Spoons, they were completely conked out on the sagging couches pushed against the wall! Growling obscenities under his breath, Inuyasha dumped the bags on the floor and kicked the two sleeping guys off the couches and onto the floor.

Kouga and Miroku both jerked awake to find a seething Inuyasha leering down at them. Of course, still delirious from their little 'nap', they didn't notice his livid expression. Instead, they hefted themselves to their feet, yawning, and sat back down on the couches.

"Hey, Yasha, whazzup?" Miroku slurred sleepily, rubbing at his chin covered in dried drool.

"Yeah, hey, did you get food? It sure took a while…" Kouga chimed in, a goofy smile spreading across his face.

Inuyasha just growled in frustration and plunked down in a folding chair, glowering at the other two. They weren't worth yelling and screaming at, especially when they were still half asleep. He flicked a wrist at the bags leaning against the wall disinterested.

The moment their eyes landed on the 'treasure', Miroku and Kouga perked up and scrambled over each other, digging in quickly.

"All right! Nice!" they cheered in excitement, ripping open bags of chips and candy wrappers.

Kouga tossed him a can of beer muttering a "Nice job on the booze, Mutt-face." To which Inuyasha flipped him off and cracked open his drink. The other two had already drained one each and were reaching for seconds, Miroku gathering his chocolate and sugar around him possessively; shooting the other two glares as if to dare them to steal one. Kouga easily swiped one without him noticing, though and they all went about munching and slurping to their hearts' content.

Inuyasha just rolled his eyes and sat back leisurely. Maybe after they'd eaten their fill and had woken up a bit more, he'd pummel them senseless and they could get on with another game of Spoons. Inuyasha snorted in amusement at the thought of kicking their asses. Miroku looked up at the soft sound, a hunk of Abba-zabba hanging from him mouth.

"Whaffa doi'g, I'utassa?" he managed around the large piece of taffy, noisily slurping milky spit back into his mouth clumsily, bringing a hand up under his chin to save his shirt. Inuyasha internally gagged at the sight and averted his gaze.

"It's nothin', Roku. Just keep gnawing on your sick cavity factories," he mumbled, tilting his head back for another swig of alcohol.

"O', Ohay…" Miroku said, obliging happily. Inuyasha just shuddered while Kouga laughed loudly, filling the small space with guffaws rivaling a donkey's.

Later, they were all once again sitting around the table. But instead of another card game, the three were discussing music and upcoming gigs. Sure, they probably shouldn't have been making any decisions without their drummer present, but they didn't really care. Besides, it was almost three o' clock in the morning, and they were too lazy to even think of getting him.

"That record company, what's their name?" Kouga gestured with his hand, snapping his fingers trying to remember. "Y'know! The one that keeps buggin' us! What're they called again?"

"D'you mean the West Indie Records people or the SonicSound guy?" Miroku hiccupped.

"No, no! It's that one lady! What's her face!" Kouga exclaimed in frustration, shaking his hand furiously in an attempt to remember.

"Um… Nope, can't remember any lady. 'Cept that one from West Indie, but she wasn't the one with the offer… She was hot…" Miroku mumbled sleepily, a perverted smile slowly spreading across his face.

Inuyasha smacked him upside the head lightly. "Lightweight," he muttered, getting annoyed with the conversation.

"C'mon! Yash, you were there! 'Member? She was real old and had an eye patch!" Kouga prompted eagerly.

"Eye patch?" Inuyasha looked at him quizzically. "Oh! Eye-patch! Right! The hag!" he said loudly in realization. "I remember her! She smelled like my grandma…"

"Yeah!" Kouga exclaimed excitedly. "Where was she from?"

"Why?"

'Because!" Kouga said urgently. "She called the other day with this awesome deal and I lost her number! Maybe they're listed in the phonebook or something!"

"Deal?" Miroku asked blearily. "What kind of deal?"

Inuyasha pushed his groggy head away from his shoulder, causing the dark-haired nineteen-year-old to slip off his chair with a giggle.

"Oops!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and turned back to Kouga, interested in what his pony-tailed friend was saying. "What kind of deal?"

"Hey!" Miroku's hand waved over the top of the table. "I said tat!"

"Just shut up, Miroku!" Inuyasha kicked him irritably in the side.

"Ow!'

"You were saying?"

Kouga shot him an amused glance but quickly calmed down, leaning over the table slightly in excitement. "She said full recording contract and record deal. She really liked our sound and offered to pay for housing and new equipment if we went down to LA to settle everything and start recording."

"LA? Holy crap! Are you shitting me?" Inuyasha almost yelled.

"Does it _look_ like I'm 'shitting you?'"

"Damn!" Inuyasha leapt from his seat and paced back and forth in excitement, not really knowing what to do with himself. Then something occurred to him and the happy grin turned into a scowl.

"Damn…" he repeated more softly, continuing to pace.

"Yash, you said that already. Aren't you psyched? This is fuckin' awesome!" Kouga exclaimed almost to the point of doing a little 'happy dance' in his chair.

"Ko, what about Shippou?" Inuyasha asked softly, facing the dusty wall instead of his friend.

"Huh?" Kouga asked intelligently.

"_Shippou_! Our _drummer_! He's fuckin' _fifteen_!" Inuyasha yelled, whirling around in frustration.

Kouga's face fell dramatically.

"Oh…"

"Yeah," Inuyasha snapped, plunking down on the couch with a sigh. "We might have to turn them down, Ko. Shippou's too young to go down to LA on his own… We're officially screwed…"

"Tama records…" Miroku mumbled from his spot on the floor, turning over with a yawn and sitting up, having slept through the whole discussion. Seeing his friends' faces and sensing the thick tension in the air, he just stared at them for a moment before shrugging. If it was life-threateningly important they'd tell him… eventually.

"Hey, guys. What's up?" he asked innocently, rubbing the back of his head and wincing slightly. "Ow… Why does my head hurt?"

"Tama Records…" Kouga breathed in sudden understanding. "So that's where she was from…"

"Huh?" Inuyasha and Miroku said at the same time, shooting their friend identical looks.

"The old hag, Kaede. She's from Tama Records. Now I remember!"

Inuyasha reached over and bopped him on the head.

"That's great, idiot. But we still can't go down to LA, remember? The runt's not legal yet!"

"Well at least now I can call her back and say 'thanks but no thanks. Our drummer is three years too young. Sorry.'" Kouga retorted.

"Wait, LA? Why would we go to LA?" Miroku asked, clearly out of the loop.

"Forget it, Miroku. We're not going to LA," Inuyasha growled, glaring at Kouga's head furiously.

"Um… Okay…" Miroku said uncertainly, glancing down at his watch in an attempt to find a distraction. "Well, it's, like three-thirty. I gotta go and… get some sleep. I've got work in the morning. See ya…"

And with that, Miroku slipped out of the garage and trudged up the stairs to his room to get some sleep. Kouga and Inuyasha glared at each other for a moment before simultaneously turning away and muttering good-byes. They folded up the table and chairs and cleared away their trash before turning off the light and leaving, going their separate ways.

Sure, they might still be mad at each other, but with them, it was always one thing or another. They'd get over it in a few days and then move on to the next argument as if nothing happened. But this was something that could have possibly been an amazing chance to get a head start on the road to fame and fortune. And the fact that they had to turn it down just downright pissed them off. Why did everything always have to happen to them?

E

_I don't think I've ever written a chapter this long before… Hm… Whatever. I hope you've enjoyed it so far. All the rest of the chapters will be divided into The Guys (_Brand New Breed_), The Girls (_Common Ground_), and Kagome. Well, until they all come together. And I'm not really sure when that'll happen yet. Soon, I think. But don't take my word for it right now. I'm trying something new with this story so… yeah. I know where I want it to go, but I'm basically writing it off the top of my head instead of copying it out of previously written notebooks. But I'm really liking it so far (except having to stop in the middle of a really great brainstorm 'cause someone in my family just _needs_ to use the computer for something else…). Well, until next time, I suppose! – Hope Swings_


	3. Chapter 3

**So Surreal – So Real**

**Chapter Three**

An exhausted Kagome dropped into her seat with a sigh. Today was just not her day. First, she didn't catch a wink of sleep because her mother needed help with the shop after school and she couldn't say no to her overworked and stressed out mother. And because she'd been the dutiful daughter, she hadn't eaten dinner in order to get as much done as possible and wanted to get everything done, so she didn't get to her mountains of homework until around ten. She'd had two essays to write and five pages of math homework to finish and seven chapters to read, so it'd taken longer than a normal night's worth of homework should have. Then, she fell asleep in class and didn't take any notes or write down the night's assignment. On top of that, Yuka had yelled at her and she'd yelled back, so she supposed they were in a fight now…

"Great; just great," she muttered to herself, dropping her head into her hands in resignation.

"What's so great?" an innocent voice asked from beside her.

Glancing at the desk next to her, Kagome spotted the short, bubbly girl who was one of the only people she knew personally in the class. After all, she and Rin had been in classes together since second grade. It was nearly impossible to not get to know her.

"Nothing," she mumbled, shifting in her seat to sit up straight and flipping open a notebook.

Rin just gave her a bland look and did the same, scribbling something on the clean sheet of paper, angling it so that Kagome could read what she'd written. Raising an eyebrow, Kagome leaned over the small isle and looked down at the page. 'Come on, Kags. Stop trying to pretend everything's peachy in your little world. What's up?' Grinning wryly, Kagome reached into her backpack and came out with a pen before writing her own response on her notebook.

'I'm not pretending. Do you see a smile on this face?'

'That's my point. You can tell me. After all, I _have_ kept your secret about Robby James all these years…'

'Ah… Using blackmail now, I see. Well, since you put it _that_ way…'

'Ooh! Do tell; do tell. I haven't heard good gossip all day!'

'It's not gossip. Yuka yelled at me before lunch.'

'Ouch!'

'Yeah, about something she doesn't understand.'

'…Which would be… what?'

'I pulled another all-nighter last night. Now, don't give me that look! Just listen for a second. Mom needed help yesterday and there was so much work to do that I just _knew_ I could finish! It saved Mom a whole lot of grief and she got sleep herself, but I stilled had a whole lot of homework to that I didn't get to until ten. I didn't eat dinner, either, and I fell asleep in fourth period, too.'

'Oh.'

'Uh-huh. So, she bit my head off and didn't listen to me.'

'I see…'

'Yeah, change of subject please! How's CG?'

'It's good. We've got a few gigs lined up over the next few months. You're coming to all of them, right?'

'Wouldn't miss it for the world! You guys are so good!'

'I know. You have to hear the new songs we've been working on! I'm so excited!'

'Awesome! I'm so there!'

And that was the end of their scribbled conversation since their teacher walked in at that moment. The rest of the period went by quickly and Kagome was surprised when the bell rang, signaling the period's finish. Her teacher called a final reminder over the din of students rushing to leave the classroom, and Kagome threw a final wave at Rin, hiking her backpack up further on her shoulder before trotting down the stairs to her final class of the day.

X

Kagome arrived home an hour or so later to find her younger brother sprawled on the floor in front of the television, staring at the glowing screen as some video game character slashed through walls of zombies to rescue the busty, blonde scientist trapped in the laboratory. Rolling her eyes, she set her backpack down and kicked off her shoes, stepping into the kitchen for a pre-homework snack. Her grandfather was sitting at the kitchen table poring over some magazine about ancient Chinese and Japanese artifacts that were supposed to have magical or healing properties.

"Hey, Grandpa," she muttered, leaning halfway into the refrigerator, reaching for the back currant juice all the way in the back.

He replied with a soft grunt and a dismissive wave in her general direction. Shrugging, Kagome set about putting together a quick sandwich with whatever she found in the refrigerator and cupboards. On her way up to her room, she planted a kiss on her grandfather's balding head, twirling on the linoleum in her sock in the door and stopping with a pensive look on her face.

"Hey, Grandpa? Where's Mamma? Is she still down at the shop?"

"Mm…" was the only thing he said, still glued to the glossy pages in front of him.

"Okay. Thanks, then."

And with that, Kagome trudged up the stairs to do her homework. She'd check up on her grandfather later when she ran out of food and got hungry enough to venture downstairs. Tacking a sip of the tart juice in her hand, she nudged her door open with her foot and sat at her desk, cracking open her history textbook.

A few hours later, Kagome sat up from her hunched position over the papers and books spread out on her desk. She stretched her arms out above her head, sighing contentedly when she felt her shoulders and elbows pop softly. She'd just finished her last math problem and was free for the rest of the night. That is, of course, unless her mother needed more help with the shop or around the house.

Skipping down the stairs and humming lightly, Kagome peered around the kitchen doorway. The room was empty, meaning her grandfather had moved to the living room or his bedroom for a nap or to stare at the TV and some absurd documentary. Moving onto the living room, she spotted her grandfather sitting in the recliner, a cup of tea in one hand and the TV remote in the other. Smirking knowingly, she threw herself onto the couch on her stomach. Turning her head to the side to face the TV, she was surprised to see a regular, run-of-the-mill sitcom playing out on the screen. Now this was different…

"Grandpa, what're you doing?"

"I'm watching television, Kagome. What else would I be doing with this thing?"

"No, I meant what're you watching. Where're your documentaries on Feudal Japanese Scrolls or whatever?"

"I think you mean Ancient Texts of the Sengoku Jidai."

"Yeah, that. Isn't there always something like that on?"

"Not always, Kagome. Besides, it was this or some movie with that Kutcher person and twelve hooligan children," he pulled a face and directed his gaze back to the screen where the father was dressed as a princess and his friends were rolling on the floor laughing, especially when his son came out in a miniature version of the dress and tiara.

"Ah… Yes, I understand. Once is enough. Well, carry on, then. I won't stop you."

Kagome snuggled further into the couch, shifting to find a comfortable position. She watched the program with her grandfather until the show ended and everyone ended up happily and the son was permitted to wear his own choice of costume for Halloween. It was a re-run, and Kagome had already seen it, but it was still amusing. She then glanced up at the clock above the mantle and decided to check on what was going on with their dinner. Seeing that the kitchen was still vacant and showed no sign of dinner being started anytime soon, she set about making an impromptu dinner of grilled cheese, canned soup and fruit salad.

She called her brother and grandfather in to dinner and set some aside for her mother incase she showed up. After dinner, her brother disappeared to either finish his homework or play video games, and her grandfather shuffled off to take a nap. Kagome cleared the table and washed the dishes, idly wondering where her mother was. Once she was finished, she grabbed up her coat and headed outside to walk down to the shop.

Kagome's family had been running a local bakery for years a few streets away from their house. Her grandmother had opened the little shop when her mother had been a little girl. Her mother had grown up in the shop, helping out and learning how to bake. After her grandmother had died, Kagome's mother had taken over the family business and had been running it all by herself ever since Kagome's father had died eight years ago.

Her mother's pastries and cakes were famous in the community and business was always good – sometimes too good. Because of the huge demand for her baked goods, her mother was always busy trying to fulfill orders and keep up with her family and sleep. Kagome had gotten into the habit of helping out in the afternoons around the shop with orders, paperwork and customers. She also dabbled in creating her own cakes and cookies for fun whenever there was any left over ingredients.

Arriving at The Higurashi Bakery, Kagome quickly noticed that the shop was still open. Slipping inside, she headed straight for the back room where her mother was most likely still decorating some wedding cake or other. The brightly lit room was filled with different colored frosting bags half empty and different decorating utensils. Her mother stood in the middle, bent over a huge cake swarming with brightly colored sugar flowers and swirls of masterfully applied icing.

The cake itself was made of five layers of delicious cherry-rum cake with a creamy, white chocolate custard filling covered in white chocolate frosting. Kagome had helped in measuring and baking the masterpiece late last night and had worked a little on the flowers. It was a monstrous cake for an enormously lavish wedding uptown and the biggest project her mother had ever taken on. The wedding was the next day and her mother had been rushing to finish it in time. By the state of the room and her mother, Kagome figured it was almost finished. She sat in a corner silently, watching her mother work like she used to when she was small.

Kagome had always known her mother was a genius in the kitchen, especially when it came to baking. She could sit for hours and watch her mother work her magic on the dry flour and sugar, mixing and stirring gracefully to create a delectable cake that looked like a brown lump. Her mother was transfixing when she turned a boring cake into something so beautiful that it was almost untouchable.

Kagome had grown up around the smells of freshly baked bread and cookies in the oven and watching the transformation of a cake into a work of art. But she was still amazed and excited every time she witnessed the process. Baking never had – and probably never would – lost its spark for her, from the first moment she could remember baking until that minute sitting in the backroom surrounded by what she loved best.

It took nearly a half hour for her mother to notice her presence, but when she did, a huge smile spread across her face, brightening her dulled and tired eyes instantly. Kagome smiled back and hopped off of the preparation table she'd used as a chair. Hugging her mother and inhaling her smell of fresh bread and cinnamon, Kagome smiled, he face buried in her shoulder. Her mother laughed softly and held her at arms length, studying her face intently.

"Kagome…" she breathed, frowning slightly. "What's wrong? You look sad."

Kagome laughed at the way her mother always seemed to know what she was thinking or feeling. Leaning against another stainless steel table, she folded her arms and scuffed her feet on the clean floor.

"I'm just tired, is all," she shrugged, looking at the wedding cake distractedly. "The cake looks awesome, Mamma. You did a really great job."

"Stop trying to change the subject," her mother chided jokingly. "What're you tired of? You haven't looked so down since you broke your arm and couldn't be in the big swim meet when you were ten."

Kagome laughed softly, remembering the incident. She'd fallen out of the tree in their front yard and had to have a cast on for a few months, missing the swim meet she'd been practicing for for weeks. She'd been so bummed; she'd moped around the house for days after the meet. Looking back on it now, she could laugh at herself, but back then, that meet had meant everything to her.

"Well, physically, I'm exhausted. And Yuka and I got in a fight today over something stupid she doesn't understand. And I can't wait for school to be out. I need a break."

Her mother chuckled and rubbed her arm reassuringly. Her smile warmed her heart and she began to feel better immediately. Tilting her head up to face her mother, Kagome smiled slightly in return.

"To fix the first, you just need to go to bed earlier is all. About school, it's only a few more weeks before you get two weeks off. And once first semester is over everything's a piece of cake. What were you fighting with Yuka for? She's a pretty understanding girl, and she genuinely cares about you. All you friends do."

Kagome sighed and shook her head. She couldn't possibly tell her mother she'd been pulling all-nighters for weeks now in order to help out and keep up in school. She would just refuse to accept her help and wouldn't be able to handle the stress and work. Besides, she was almost over the argument. Sure, it hurt to be in a fight with one of her best friends, but things like that happened all the time. She just figured both she and Yuka needed time to cool off and then everything would be fine. And Kagome said so, waving off her mother's concerned look with a bright smile.

"Don't worry about it, Mamma. Everything's going to be fine."

"Are you sure? I feel like you're not telling me everything…" she said uncertainly.

"No, no. I'm fine. It'll be okay. Just chill out."

"Okay… If you say so, Kagome…"

"Yeah, everything's fine. Hakkuna Mattata."

Kagome's mother smiled thinly but let the subject go. She knew something was up but wasn't going to push it any further if Kagome wasn't going to say anything else. Kagome in turn was a little uneasy. She didn't enjoy holding things back from her mother, but she really didn't want her to worry over it and feel it was her fault. Kagome enjoyed helping out her family and having them worry over her health and wellbeing was not helpful. So she just kept her mouth shut.

"Rin's band is playing a few gigs coming up," she said casually to change the subject not-so-subtly.

"Oh? That's nice," her mother said distractedly. It was evident that she was still stuck on their other conversation, but Kagome just ignored it, plowing on ahead.

"Yeah. She seems really excited. I promised I'd go. But I don't know when so I'll let you know as soon as I find out, okay?"

"Mhmm."

Her mother was obviously not paying attention to anything she'd said. Getting frustrated, Kagome sighed and tried again.

"Oh, and I was thinking of getting my lip pierced. And my bellybutton, too. How's that sound?"

"Great, honey, okay."

"But I'm not sure. Gabriel suggested maybe I should get my eyebrow pierced, but so many people are doing that these days. I could always get my nipple pierced. What do you think, Mamma?"

"Sure, sure. Have fun."

"Mamma, you're not listening to me," Kagome stated flatly.

"Hm? Yes I am," her mother said, glancing up from where she'd returned to the cake, piping bag poised in her hand.

"What I just say, then?" Kagome demanded, hands coming up to rest on her hips.

"Oh, well…"

"Yeah, exactly. Listen, I'm gonna go back up to the house. I'll talk to you later, Mamma. Good night."

Kagome leaned over and hugged her mother, kissing her good-bye. Her mother waved as she left the backroom and strode across the main room, putting chairs up on tables and locking up before leaving. Once she was outside, she sighed and shook her head before trudging up the street thinking the whole way home and up to bed. So many things had been happening lately, she faintly wondered how in the world she would get through it all.

"Maybe anti-depressants would work…" she mumbled sleepily before turning off the light and falling asleep still fully-clothed.

_I tried writing this one at least four times before I settled on this one. The next chapter should be for The Girls. This was kind of setting up for what will happen next. Surprisingly, I _do_ have a plan. I'm going to be gone for a few days for Fourth of July. So there won't be anything up until after Wednesday. Until then! – Hope Swings_


	4. Chapter 4

**So Surreal – So Real**

**Chapter Four**

Ayame flopped down on the couch in Sango's living room, staring up at the ceiling. Rin giggled and sat down on her stomach heavily, producing a soft 'oomph!' from the redhead. Sango just sat near Ayame's feet. It was a Friday afternoon and school was out for the weekend. And tonight just happened to be their monthly movie night.

"So," Ayame drawled, sitting up on her elbows. "What's on the agenda for tonight? Thrillers, comedy, romance, horror, action, some foreign film in some language I've probably never heard of?"

Rin giggled softly again and slid off of her friend to spread out on the floor. She reached over for her backpack, pulling out assorted DVD cases and fanning them out like a hand of cards. Studying them seriously, she flicked one out higher than the rest and closed her hand, smirking at her choice.

While she was hopping up and sliding it in the slot, Ayame rolled her eyes and turned to Sango with a meaningful glance. Sango smiled and shifted further down on the cushions. Rin twisted to stare them down before taking the DVD remote hostage and settling back down on the floor. Once the menu showed up, the two girls on the couch groaned simultaneously.

"_Again_, Rin?" Sango whined.

"We've seen this same movie seven times already! Pick something new for a change!" Ayame shrieked, throwing a pillow at the short sixteen-year-old.

Rin just cackled maniacally from the floor for a moment in a very un-Rin like fashion. Then she rolled to her feet and switched discs, much to the relief of the rooms other occupants.

"Really, guys. I'm not _that_ evil," she teased, returning to her spot, hugging the pillow Ayame had thrown at her to her chest.

"Yes you are!" Ayame protested. "You've made us watch that _seven times_! That movie shouldn't have been _made_, much less seen every month! And first thing, too! You're a cruel little sadist!"

"Am not! And deep down, you love Poke'mon!"

"She's right, Rin," Sango mumbled, trying to muffle her giggles with a pillow.

Rin just grinned up at them. "I know!" she chirped. "But I can't help it. Pikachu's just too damn cute!"

Sango and Ayame groaned, both smacking her in the head with their pillows. Rin just beamed and started the new movie that didn't involve grossly adorable cartoon monsters. This was going to be a fun night. She could just tell.

X

A few hours later while the credits for their second movie were running, Sango stood up off the couch and stretched her arms above her head with a yawn. Tugging her hair tie free, she shook out her long, dark brown hair and ran her hand through the long strands. She walked into the kitchen and flipped on the lights, rubbing her bleary eyes while she headed for the cupboards above the sink. While she was filling up a glass of water at the faucet, there was a sudden yell before she was grabbed from behind and jerked backwards, eliciting a shriek from the tall brunette.

The hands left her shoulders and her attacker was overcome by a fit of giggles. Whirling around, Sango came face-to-top-of-the-head with Rin. Cocking an eyebrow, she settled her hands on her hips and waited for the shorter girl to settle down. Halfway through her giggle fit, Rin glanced up and immediately sobered upon seeing Sango's expression.

"Um, hi," she muttered, straightening up and bracing herself with her arms on the kitchen table.

"Hi," Sango repeated flatly.

"Eh heh heh…" Rin rubbed the back of her neck nervously, looking everywhere but the general direction of her good friend. "So… how 'bout them Yankees?"

Sango just rolled her eyes and turned back to the sink. Rin sighed in relief and slumped into a chair. Sango briefly glanced back at her and shook her head. She wasn't mad, exactly… Okay, so she was slightly peeved at what the younger girl had done. But what she was feeling was more of annoyance at her little 'prank' than anger. Sango sighed too and sat down in a chair herself, sipping from her now refilled glass.

"So, what's up?" she finally said to break the ice.

"Huh?"

"You're not conked out like Ayame probably is?"

Rin rolled her eyes, raising her head from its position on her folded arms. "Obviously not."

"I can see that. _Pirates of the Caribbean_ and _Team America_ can only knock Ayame out. What should we watch next?"

Rin just shrugged, leaning back in her chair so far, it only rested on two legs. Sango frowned slightly. Rin was usually hyped up and perpetually giggly-happy. Something was off with her…

"Hey, you okay?" she asked softly, leaning forward worriedly.

"Yeah, why?"

Rin looked slightly insulted by the question, and her defensive tone threw Sango for a loop.

"Um, okay… I don't really know, you're acting different, is all."

"Is different not okay with you, or something?" Rin snapped, causing Sango to pull back slightly in shock.

"Yes – I mean – no! No. That's not it. Is there something going on I should be worried about? Is everything all right?"

Rin slumped over at that and sighed. Her ridged posture and tense shoulders relaxed and she caved in on herself. Sango remained silent, not knowing what to do. This was just so weird and unexpected.

"Sorry," Rin mumbled into the table, not looking up from the grainy surface. "I've just got a lot on my mind lately, I guess."

"Like what? You guys have been preaching at me for years that getting it off your chest solves half the problem."

Rin chuckled softly, resting her chin on her overlapped hands. Her large brown eyes studied Sango's face for a moment before smiling softly. Sango's face broke into a wry grin. She'd been waiting to turn her friends' words on them for a while now.

"Well, you see, I have this friend… Bob."

"Bob?" Sango asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, Bob. So anyway, Bob's been getting grief from her other friends over her sudden lack of sleep and how it's effecting her. She's pretty burned out y'know? But it's only because she's a caring, loving person who'd do anything for her family. 'Course, she never thinks about how this all effects her and gets upset whenever someone confronts her about it. Sad really…" Rin trailed off, shaking her head.

"So you're worrying about her?"

"Well, yeah. You would too if a friend of yours that you've known for years is fretting over her mother's welfare and biting off more than she could chew to lessen the load on everyone around her. Kag – _Bob_ has been stumbling a lot under these heavy burdens she doesn't have to take on all by herself."

Sango nodded in understanding. "I see what you mean. You're a good friend, Rin. But maybe, if she's not listening to reason from other people and is too ignorant to stop, there's nothing to do about it. You can't force people to do things they don't want to – even if it's for their own good. All you can do is try to steer them in the right direction and hope they catch on before it's too late."

Rin sighed heavily. When she next spoke, her voice was weary and tired.

"Yeah, I know. It's just hard. She's almost disappearing right in front of my eyes."

"I'm sorry, Rin…" Sango said softly, but Rin just waved it off.

"Don't worry about it; it's not your fault."

"I know. But it's sad for kids our age to go through this stuff these days. And some go through worse stuff at an even younger age…"

Sango flexed her fingers on the table and stared down at them glumly. Rin stared off out the window and frowned. 'Bob' and Sango were a bit alike. They'd both lost parents and had to grow up too fast than they should've. Maybe she should introduce them. They'd make great friends…

"So, how're you, San? Everything doing okay in your neck of the woods?" Rin finally asked after a long silence.

"Um… I think so. Things're easier, but sometimes I wish they could just go back to how they were, you know?"

Rin nodded silently. Letting out a long breath, she stood up and pushed in her chair. Sango glanced up at her inquiringly. Rin just smiled halfheartedly.

"So, y' wanna go watch some sappy chic movie and have a good cry? Maybe eat lots of ice cream and paint our toenails?" Rin joked, turning for the dark living room.

Sango just laughed softly and followed the shorter girl. Rin knew her well enough to notice when to back off and take what she could get. The younger girl had a feeling that was all she'd get out of the guitarist that night and didn't want to push her any further. They were fine where they were at right then and she didn't want to put a strain on their relationship. So instead, they returned to watching movies fro the rest of the night, alternating between action, romance, comedy and whatever else Rin had stashed away in her magic yellow backpack. There was a time for everything and right then it was time for an all-night movie marathon.

X

The three didn't get together until the following Tuesday for practice. They usually had their practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Sango's house since Ayame's parents were never home and she didn't care for her house and Rin didn't exactly have a house suitable for band practices. And because Sango's garage was conveniently empty of moving boxes, other crap and cars, it was obvious that was where they always met.

They'd decided to meet everyday from Tuesday until Saturday to practice and go over their line-up list for their upcoming show. In the end, they never really got to playing on Tuesday though. They ended up discussing and – eventually – arguing over either the arrangement of a song or the order and placement of various songs. Some of their new stuff hadn't been perfected yet, and some of their original songs seemed too monotonous and overplayed. By the time Rin and Ayame had to pack up and head home, they'd hammered out a few kinks in their play list, but infinitely, they had to start over and come to a final decision before they could start rehearsing anything. So their first practice before the show had been fairly uneventful music wise and slightly productive in everything else.

Sango waved the two off before trudging to her room and collapsing on top of her unmade bed exhausted. She figured the rest of her homework could wait until after she'd taken a nap. Besides, she didn't have that much left to do; just Calculus…

Rin and Ayame walked together for a little while until they reached Ayame's light blue, vintage Mustang convertible. She hopped in the driver's seat and waved as Rin took off in the opposite direction. She would have offered her friend a ride, but she knew better than to even suggest that Rin needed to depend on other people in any way. Rin was very proud and didn't take kindly to 'charity' in the form of free rides. If Rin had her way, she would pay Ayame for gas money if she ever accepted her offers for rides. But because of her financial situation, she couldn't afford to from the rising gas prices. So instead, she simply walked – everywhere.

So, Ayame watched Rin walk off down the street from her car. Once the sixteen-year-old disappeared from her sight, she started up the refurbished car and drove off herself. She didn't want to go home yet. Her parents were out of town – again – and the house was consequently empty. She personally didn't really enjoy her family's well-off status. Money didn't concern her, especially when that money came from parents that she only knew from brief notes and clipped voice messages. They had no interest in her life as long as she kept out of trouble, and in return, Ayame had no interest in having them as part of her life. As soon as she graduated and could be off on her own, she was out of that house and out of her parents' influence and money.

For a while, she just drove around, not really having a set destination. She had no homework. What little she did have, she'd finished during study hall. If she had homework or projects ever, she would go to the library for a few hours. Ever since she could go out on her own, she'd spent as little time as possible in that big, empty, state-of-the-art house. It's cold white walls and abstract geometric paintings and blunt metal and glass everything held no sense of 'home,' and it probably never would.

Spotting a small coffee shop, she pulled over and walked inside. She'd made it a habit to stop by any coffee establishment whenever she was just driving around. Many people never really suspected the reserved punk drummer of being a coffeehouse junkie, but she was. She was also really into the whole interpretive and expressive art scene, too. Rhythmic and mellow poetry and slightly new-age art mixed with classic styles and vintage everything drew her attention like a fly to a fluorescent bug zapper. She'd dragged Rin and Sango to museums and art shows and coffeehouses all over the city almost every weekend. She just couldn't get enough.

When she stepped into the small front room, the dimmed lights and the bitter smell of coffee beans immediately settled her already mellow mood into a thrumming sense of comfort. Taking a deep breath, she smiled softly and strode over to the counter, green eyes already scanning the display for something caffeinated and satisfying. It didn't take long and she was soon sitting at a small table, sipping at a steaming cup of coffee. Now _this_ felt like home.

X

Rin walked briskly down the sidewalk, clutching her hard bass case in one hand and her omnipresent yellow backpack slung over her shoulder. Since they would be having rehearsals every day, it was just easier to leave her amp at Sango's house instead of lugging it back and forth every day. She didn't particularly enjoy walking through her neighborhood in the evenings, but she refused to bum rides off of anyone. She couldn't afford the bus either, so she was stuck with walking.

Walking wasn't really that bad. She actually enjoyed taking it slow and getting exercise outside. And since her bass was nearly attached to her, she didn't mind the added weight. The only thing that really bothered her about walking places was the occasional feeling of vulnerability. She didn't exactly live in the best neighborhood, and being a teenage girl, with no real means of contacting someone or defending herself when weighed down with equipment that wasn't exactly cheep, didn't really sit well on her mind or fairly 'safe.' But that was life and she just had to make due with what life dealt her.

Rin was never really comfortable with people knowing where she lived. She wasn't exactly proud of being a foster child for most of her life, much less a _poor_ foster child. And that was partially the reason why she didn't accept rides home, aside from her pride and money issue. She was ashamed of her situation and did everything she could to keep it a secret.

Sure, her foster family was wonderful and she loved them to death. They were the only real family she'd ever known (except for Sango and Ayame). Maurice and Diane were a sweet and caring couple that worked hard to support not only Rin but also the seven other foster kids they'd taken in. Rin owed them everything and even wished they were her real parents instead of the people who'd given her up. But sometimes… sometimes she just wished for a regular family with a regular house in a regular neighborhood where she felt safe and didn't worry for her safety somewhere in the back of her mind every time she stepped outside.

Thinking about that, Rin sighed as she was hit with a wave of guilt. She knew she shouldn't be thinking like that, but she couldn't help it. She looked at people like Sango and Kagome and kids at school and couldn't help but be envious. Then there were the people like Ayame who took their situations for granted. Sure, she loved Ayame and knew she had her own problems, especially from her parents' absence in her life, but did she really have to treat everything as if she were above it all and didn't care about her money or social status? It just seemed like a waste.

Shaking her head, Rin hunched further into herself and kept trudging along. It was no use sulking about it. That wouldn't change a thing. Maybe when _Common Ground_ became well known and they started earning money for their awesome talents, she could change her family's financial problems around. Until then, though, she'd just have to settle for what she had and playing her music at tiny venues and birthday parties.

Rin was so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she didn't notice the clouds of smoke curling up into the quickly darkening sky. Visions of the future danced in front of her eyes as she neared her home, barely registering where the increase in temperature was coming from. Screams and cries for help fell on deaf ears as she continued walking. There was a surge of energy and heat and smoke as she serenely crossed the surprisingly empty street, still oblivious to what was going on around her.

Only when she tried to walk through the gate and into her front yard and was held back by a pair of arms, did she look up, annoyed that someone would keep her from entering her own home. And that's when she saw it – the roaring fire engulfing the cramped two story building, the crooked and patched roof collapsing in on itself, flames licking out hungrily from the now-glassless windows. Her case clattered to the ground unnoticed as she stared at the bonfire that was once her home in shock. This couldn't be happening! It just couldn't! The pair of arms gently led her away, murmuring softly in her ear that it was all right and everything would be okay. At first she was confused at why this person would be trying to console her. Only later would she realize that she'd been sobbing and babbling nonsense about not meaning it…

E

_Well… There it is… My brother just moved out last week and it's kind of strange not seeing him around at all (not that he was ever really around that much to begin with…). But anyway, I don't know when the next chapter will be out. I'm gone at camps and on 'vacation' without access to my computer from July 23-August 12. I think I have like two days every six days or so to do laundry and get a full night's sleep before I'm off again. I'm going to be so busy… When you really think about it, the summer really isn't that long… Oh well. Until next time! – Hope Swings_


	5. Chapter 5

**So Surreal – So Real**

**Chapter Five**

Four exhausted, yet extremely hyper 'young men' tumbled out of the rental car, stumbling up the stairs to the hotel lobby and falling on top of each other on the tiled floor just in front of the revolving door in a sprawling heap. An older couple, linked at the elbow stepped around them delicately and gazed down at them flatly.

"Do you think they're dead or just already asleep?" the wife asked, nudging the nearest with her foot. Her husband just shrugged.

"Dunno. We should probably get them upstairs to their room before they become too much of an obstruction and we find them trampled tomorrow morning."

His wife giggled softly and nodded, moving to try and lift one of the four halfway off the ground. When it became evident that neither of them would be able to move any of the four, they sighed dejectedly. Hotel workers stepped forward to assist them and they all dragged the boys to the elevator and up to their joint room.

"Can you believe that there was a time when we could lift Shippou over our heads easily?" the wife asked with a wistful sigh as they walked down the hall to their room.

Her husband chuckled softly. "Either he's gotten too big, or we're growing old way too fast."

The two laughed and entered their room. They all had a fairly long day tomorrow and as that day had proved to all members of their party, getting little or no sleep wasn't the wisest decision.

X

The next morning the boys woke up and ordered room service while they hopped around getting dressed. After breakfast, Shippou went to wake up his parents while Kouga and Miroku fought over the remote to the TV. Inuyasha was taking his time in the shower, oblivious to his friends' behavior.

"Miroku! We can't watch _that_!" Kouga exclaimed, jumping up to stand on the messy bed, snatching the remote in the process.

"Yeah? And why the hell not?" Miroku jumped up as well, trying to snatch the devise from its position above Miroku's head.

"One – it's on Pay-Per-View – the record company ain't paying for that. Two – it's Hotel Erotica! Who watches porn this early in the fuckin' morning?" Kouga hopped over to the other bed, Miroku hot on his heels.

"I do! Now gimme back the remote, asshole! It starts in two minutes!"

"We're leaving in two minutes! And I'm not watching that!"

"You don't have to! Just hand it over!"

Miroku thrust his hand out impatiently to accompany his stubborn demand. Kouga just stuck his nose in the air and shoved the devise behind his back; to which Miroku lunged at him with a livid roar. The scuffle continued for a few more minutes, remote changing owners back and forth until Inuyasha emerged from the bathroom. Observing the situation for a moment, he simply strode to where the two were wrestling and easily took the remote from Miroku's hand, plopping down in an overstuffed chair and flipping through channels. The other two froze in their positions, arms raised to punch or pull hair to stare at the silver-haired eighteen-year-old. Inuyasha pointedly ignored their stares and settled on a channel, shrugging further into his seat.

Shippou just happened to walk in on them like that. One glance in their direction and he quickly assessed the situation. He shrugged indifferently and threw himself onto the bed nearest the TV, sprawling upside down on the unmade bedspread. Only then, though, did he notice Inuyasha's state of dress (or _un_dress).

"Uh, Yasha?"

"Hm?" Inuyasha didn't even tear his gaze away from the flashing screen.

"You do know you're wearing only a towel and your hair is still dripping, right?"

The amber-eyed teenager cursed loudly and leapt from the chair, charging into the bathroom and slamming the door shut. Shippou just rolled his eyes and returned to staring mindlessly at the TV. A moment passed before the bathroom door cracked open.

"Uh…"

Shippou grinned knowingly and tossed random articles of clothing at Inuyasha's bodiless face. There was a dull thump of clothes against face or door and a grunt before the door clicked shut again.

"You're welcome, Yash!" he called brightly.

"Yeah, thanks, man," was Inuyasha's muffled reply.

Shippou returned to the screen while Miroku and Kouga slumped onto a bed, argument forgotten. There was shuffling from inside the bathroom and a few crashes followed by muffled curses. After a few minutes, the bathroom door creaked open slowly. Shippou glanced back over the top of the chair at Inuyasha's silence, choking on laughter a second later. The other two glanced at their sputtering younger friend before slowly turning their heads and promptly falling against each other in uncontrollable laughter.

"Ha ha, very funny, guys," Inuyasha muttered, shuffling over to the pile of clothes encompassing his suitcase and digging through the mess, snatching various, _appropriate_ articles of clothing.

The three boys continued to chortle as Inuyasha tore off the green spandex shorts, purple wife beater and brown track jacket to replace them with baggy blue jeans and a red and white baseball shirt. The laughter and teasing continued as they made their way down to breakfast and through the whole meal. Shippou's parents had to question the bright, happy mood so early in the morning and the 'Point and Laugh at Inuyasha's Expense' club gained two more members. By the time the group had gotten up and left the hotel cafeteria, still falling apart in their glee, Inuyasha was seriously ticked off and fighting the urge to strangle every last one of them slowly and painfully.

It'd been a few months since that fateful night in Miroku's garage. It turned out Kaede had contacted Shippou and explained the whole situation to his parents. They seemed very excited about the whole situation and were completely supportive of the whole thing. So they'd traveled down to LA and met with the big record executives. They were now working on their first record and planning their first tour. Since Shippou and Inuyasha still had to finish up high school, it wouldn't start until after they graduated.

The four band mates couldn't wait until then and had already started celebrating… three months early. That was why they'd been out all night the night before. Really, they couldn't remember anything past getting in the car to go back to their hotel, so waking up in their beds was like waking up in an alternate universe.

Today, it was back to the recording studio to get back to finishing their album. It was only partially finished and they had until the end of the next week to be completely done with recording. After that, they had the rest of the weekend to agree on the cover for the CD and their photo shoot for the album was scheduled for that Saturday, too. Then it was back home to wait for a while. The album would be launched in a month down in LA, so they would travel down for that for a weekend. Then the rest of the time before school let out would be filled with normal, ever day stuff, like school and band practice and what not.

X

"The acoustics on 'Midnight Tears' are a little off and something's off on 'Nothing Like Me.' But 'Super Zero' came out better than I thought it would. What do you guys think?"

"What about 'Forgetting November?' Or 'Good Luck Chuck?' What about those?"

"I think they're okay."

"Me too."

"Okay, I do too. Just making sure."

"C'mon. Let's get to work."

The four nodded resolutely and picked themselves up off the leather couches and into the joining room. They took up their instruments and pulled their headphones over their ears, waiting for the signal.

"Okay, guys. Let's run over that new song, 'Ms. America.' Start from the beginning." The producer's voice came over the PA system and the band nodded.

"One, two, three, four!" Shippou called, clapping his sticks together.

And with that, another day in the studio started. They ran through song after song, repeating parts and tweaking things here and there until the four songs they'd worked on consistently were exactly what they wanted them to be. At two, the stopped for a quick lunch break and to discuss exactly where they wanted the album to go.

"We're going global, baby!" Kouga shouted, pumping his fist in the air.

The six or seven people in the room chuckled at his antics. Inuyasha nodded his head and took a swig of his Mountain Dew. The four band members all felt the same, even if they didn't express their eagerness for fame so openly. After all, they wouldn't be here if they weren't. They'd had this conversation a few days ago in their hotel room the night after they'd met with the heads of Tama Records.

'Hey, Yash, pass me a Coke, will ya?" Miroku called from across the room.

The teen complied, tossing the cold can to his mellow best friend. Miroku caught it easily and cracked it open immediately, sending carbonated sugar water all over his face and shoulders. The room erupted in laughter as he solemnly wiped soda from his eyes and observed the room's occupants. It took a second and everyone thought he would explode and beat the crap out of all of them, but Miroku eventually cracked into a wide grin, sending them all into even more laughter, Miroku joining the fun even though he was the reason for so much hilarity.

After the soda incident, they all returned to work and didn't stop until it was time to leave. The four hopped in their rental car and drove through Burger King for dinner. They cruised through LA, munching on Whoppers with all the fixings and large cokes and fries. They got back to the hotel after eleven and crashed on their beds, not even bothering to change their clothes. The life of a soon-to-be rock star sure was tiring.

X

"Hey, guys, guess what," Buzz, their producer announced a week later, a wide grin spread over his tan, leathery face.

The four boys just groaned, not bothering to sit up or even look at him. This was probably the first time Buzz had a true smile on his face since they'd met him and they were missing it. They really were tired! Or maybe just lazy.

"C'mon, Buzz," Shippou mumbled, rolling over onto Inuyasha who didn't bother to shove him off. "We've heard you tell that joke a million times."

"Yeah," Miroku piped up with a jaw-popping yawn. "The fat lady eats the poodle, Robin is Batman's illegitimate love child _and_ naughty little boy sex buddy, and you dreamed Veronica was a fat, flying cow two days ago after you fucked her brains out. We get it. Happy?"

"No, actually. 'Cause you guessed wrong." They opened their mouths to correct him but he cut them off. "Yes, yes, I know those were the right answers – for their respective questions. This one's different."

"Fine, what?" they all asked flatly in unison.

"We're done recording!" the large, burly producer shouted, flinging his arms out wide in a 'ta-dah!' fashion.

The room was dead silent and he glanced down at the four lumps on the leather couches expectantly. They hadn't moved. Sighing, he massaged the bridge of his nose in annoyance. These four were musical geniuses, but man, were they slow!

"We finished the album," he stated blandly.

"WHAT! ARE YOU FUCKIN' KIDDING ME?" Inuyasha yelled, leaping off the couch excitedly.

"NO SHIT?"

"HOLY FUCK!"

"OH MY FUCKIN' GOD! I'M DONE WITH THIS HELLHOLE!"

Those were the first words out of their mouths as they hopped around the room, whooping and hollering as they hugged and Shippou cried in joy. Buzz stood back and observed all this with a sick sort of amusement, his thick arms crossed over his barrel chest and a smug grin on his face. These four would go a long way that was for sure. But… before they could do that though, they had to endure a photo shoot and a huge career-launching tour. If they thought this was torture, they didn't know what they were getting themselves into.

X

"No, no! Sexy! Rough and tumble! You're too stiff and awkward looking! Move around; play with them! That's what they're there for!"

The photographer screamed at Inuyasha, stomping his feet angrily. The four boys stared at him in shocked fear, Inuyasha's intensified because he was the cause of the man's outburst. Hesitantly, Shippou leaned toward Miroku to whisper something to him out of the corner of his mouth, his green eyes never leaving the temperamental 'artist.'

"Is it just me, or does the gay man have a thing for Inuyasha?"

Miroku snorted and whispered back softly, "And puppies."

Shippou could barely smother his giggles at Inuyasha's mortified face surrounded by the adorable golden retriever puppies. It was a very hilarious image, if just a little sad. Inuyasha shot them a murderous glare, earning him even more grief from the photographer.

They were currently at the photo shoot for their album and things were not going so well. So far, Jakotsu, their photographer, had dressed them all up in ridiculous costumes and had them recreate a medieval Japanese fight scene, parade around aimlessly, pose in a field of flowers, play 'Patty-Cake,' and have a pillow fight. And that was all together. Separately, Miroku had to pretend he had a vacuum in his palm and he was sucking stuff into it's 'airless void,' Kouga had to pretend he was smashing boulders with his fists and 'run with the wolves,' which turned out to be him running _from_ the wolves (that all turned out to be rabid and wild), and Shippou had 'played' with a giant top that was surrounded in green flames. Now, Inuyasha had to sexily 'frolic' with a pack of puppies. It had already been confirmed tenfold that Jakotsu was a sick, gay sadist, but when he brought out he puppies and threw a tantrum over Inuyasha's incompetence to be sexy while rolling around with little dogs, they were all starting to question his sanity and credentials as a famous photographer to many celebrities.

"Come _on_, Inuyasha! You're the leader! The sex appeal should be rolling off you in waves! They're _puppies_! What could be more sexy and appealing than _puppies_?" Jakotsu whined, sticking out his lower lip in a sad excuse of a pout.

That was the last straw for Inuyasha. With a cry of frustration and anger, he set down the four puppies that had been crawling on his lap and stalked off. Startled, Jakotsu stared after him for a second before coming to his senses and running after him. Miroku, Shippou and Kouga all watched them leave blankly, not caring that their friend was being chased down by a flaming gay.

"So, anyone up for a game of strip poker?" Miroku asked innocently.

Shippou and Kouga just groaned and pushed Miroku over and off the back of the stiff, white, furry couch they'd been sitting on. Miroku just cried out in pain and surprise, to which they rolled their eyes. Sometimes, Kouga wondered if he was the only sane and normal one in the group. Shippou was thinking the same thing, but in reality, how many normal fifteen-year-old drummers in soon-to-e-famous bands graduate from high school?

X

"_Please_, Inuyasha-baby! You gotta do it! _Please_!"

"Fuck. No," Inuyasha growled, not even looking back at the frantic photographer.

"What do you mean 'no?'"

"I mean, No. N-O. No!"

"But-"

"NO!" he roared, finally turning around to face the feminine man.

"Not even for me?" Jakotsu squeaked, shying away from the silver-haired man.

"Especially not for you!"

"Party pooper," he muttered, stalking off to go pout.

Inuyasha just sneered at his retreating back before turning around. He had to get out of this stuffy red… thing. It was driving him nuts. Before he could reach his dressing room, someone behind him started clapping, slow, exaggerated claps. He whirled around, not in the mood to deal with anyone else.

"Well done. You just scared off your photographer Mr.Taisho. Well done."

"What the hell do you know?" he snarled, wrenching his dressing room door open.

"Plenty, as a matter of fact. Welcome to the music industry, by the way."

"Yeah, well," he turned slightly, glaring at the shadowed figure over his shoulder. "Who said I wanted a welcoming committee headed by you?"

"You really should watch your mouth, you little twerp. I'm just doing my job," the woman snapped, stalking up to him and shoving a perfectly manicured finger in his face.

For a moment, he was taken aback at her perfect beauty. Then he realized that she was in the middle of screaming insults in his face. Yeah, like she was really all that pretty _now_.

"Yeah, well so am I! And that doesn't involve dressing up like an idiot for some homo and taking grief from some stuck up bitch!"

And with that, Inuyasha stomped inside the dressing room and slammed the door in her face. The woman was left standing outside the door, a shocked expression on her face. With a huff, she too stalked off, cursing the silver-haired youth under her breath. This was definitely going to be the beginning of a very _interesting_ relationship.

X

"Okay, so tell me again. This lady insulted you and you yelled back at her before storming off like a little kid?"

"Well if you're going to put it that way; no. I was in the right. She just got in the way and made me mad," Inuyasha pouted, turning away to stare out the window.

Miroku sighed and shook his head. Inuyasha could really act like a spoiled little brat sometimes…

"I wasn't saying it was your fault. I'm just saying you probably shouldn't have yelled at her. We're new on this whole professional music scene and we need to get on the good side of as many people as we can."

"Yeah, okay. Sure, Miroku. But she was still a big bitch. I didn't even know who she was and she had a nasty attitude."

"I know, I know. You told me already. But in the future, can you please try to control your temper and watch what you say?"

"I guess," Inuyasha answered reluctantly, giving him a sideways glance, still pouting.

"Great, thanks," Miroku sighed and turned away. This was too much like pulling teeth for his taste.

"Hey, Miroku!" Shippou called from a few seats away.

The older boy glanced over at the fifteen-year-old red head and smiled. He preferred Shippou's company and conversation to Inuyasha's most of the time, even if the latter was his best friend since they were little. After all, he had a much pleasanter disposition.

"Yeah, Shippou, what is it?"

"Isn't First Class way better than Coach or Business Class? They gave me Dr. Pepper _and_ Sour Punch Ropes! Those stewardesses are so nice! Don't you think so?" the hyper red head asked, bouncing up to him, a huge grin on his face. Miroku just laughed.

"Yep. Pretty nice to look at, too," his gaze drifted to one of the smiling women in the short, navy pencil skirts.

"Hey, aren't you glad Kaede and her niece decided to redo the photo shoot for the CD? We looked like total idiots!" he exclaimed suddenly.

"Yeah, and they brought in a completely different photographer, too. He wasn't as psychotic as Jakotsu."

"I know! And he totally understood what we were all about! He was cool."

Just then the 'buckle your seatbelts' sign flashed on and Shippou skipped back to his seat next to Kouga. Miroku smiled softly at Shippou's behavior while he fastened his seatbelt. He wouldn't tell anyone, but he was just as excited as Shippou was to launch their CD and go on tour. He couldn't wait to hit the road with his best friends and play his music for screaming fans. It also didn't hurt that he really needed to get away from his house and start out on his own. His home life wasn't exactly the best and this past year had been pretty bad. This record deal was really starting to look like his 'saving grace.'

'Looks like I'll find out in two months. Fame and Fortune here I come.'

E

_Okay, there was so much I wanted to put in this chapter, but some of it will just have to wait. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out. I leave tomorrow for camp for a week! I'm so excited! It's a completely new experience for me (going to camp by myself and not with a group of people I know, and also just going to choir camp). Then, a day after I get home, I'm off on a family vacation, and the week after that, I'm going on a houseboat trip with my youth group. So, there probably won't be any updates for three weeks… Sorry. But then I have a few more weeks until school starts up again and I become swamped with the heaps and heaps of school work that's bound to be dropped on me. I'm not sure whether the next chapter will be on Kagome or The Girls, but I'll see if I can work on brainstorming while I'm off at camp. Oh, and I apologize for excessive swearing and I'm going to change the rating. I'm debating whether I should change the title, too. I'm not really happy with it. If you have a suggestion or opinion on anything, just let me know. I'd really appreciate it! Have a great couple of weeks and until next time! – Hope Swings_


	6. Chapter 6

**So Surreal - So Real**

**Chapter Six**

"I still can't believe that you actually went through with that blue rinse!" a shrill voice broke the silence that some of the room's occupants found comfortable.

"What do you mean? I like my hair!" a second, deeper and melodic voice responded indignantly.

"but why'd you do it? I don't understand you, Ayumi," the first exclaimed exasperatedly.

"You know those artsy types, Yuka. They have to do something totally 'out there' and unique," a third voice interjected blandly; bordering on sarcastic.

"Shut up, Eri! You're not helping!" Yuka was obviously becoming flustered and ganged up on.

"I wasn't trying to," was the blunt reply.

Kagome sighed and opened her eyes in frustration. She'd been ordered by the trio to rest and take it easy since Yuka had gone and spilled the beans about her 'problem.' Really, the whole ordeal had been tedious and ineffective on her since she knew she wasn't an insomniac. But there was no arguing with 'Stonewall Yuka,' so Kagome had reluctantly been 'resting' up in her little bedroom surrounded by her three best friends… until they decided to perform their impersonation of chattering monkeys, that is…

"Hey, guys," she croaked out half-heartedly.

They kept on arguing. Huffing silently, she set her face in a frown and propped herself up on her elbows. Still, they ignored her existence. She grumpily cleared her throat and prepared for one of her now-famous tongue-lashings.

"HEY! SHUT UP!"

All noise and activity in the room ceased. Nodding in satisfaction, Kagome gave all three withering glares. Sitting up completely, she folded her arms across her chest, never breaking eye contact with any of them.

"If you're going to practically tie me to my bed and force me to catch up on sleep, you'd better be prepared to keep fucking silent," she bit out rather calmly.

All three nodded silently. With a single, slow nod, Kagome settled back down and closed her eyes. The room stayed dead silent and she smirked into her pillow. 'Serves 'em right…'

"Oh," she added, not bothering to look at them. "And you're all coming with me to see Rin's band tonight, too."

And with that, she dropped off to sleep with a smile. Sometimes she really loved her life.

X

Later that night, Kagome dragged her three best friends across town to the small café _Common Ground_ was playing at. She was especially determined to be there ever since she heard about what had happened on Tuesday evening. Rin hadn't come to school on Wednesday and when she called, the phone line had been disconnected. She later learned that Rin's house had been burned down and she'd been staying at Sango Taijiya's house. It'd taken the pleas and threats of Kagome, Sango and Ayame to convince her to go through with the show that evening. It was the least Kagome could do to be there to see her and cheer her on.

"Kagome, do we really have to be here?" Yuka whined as they entered the room with a stage at the far end.

"Yes. We're here to support Rin and her band mates. And I paid for your tickets, too. So shut up."

"But-"

"Just be quiet and enjoy the music, okay? We came here to have fun and listen to some awesome bands; not snivel in the corner."

"I like it, Kagome," Ayumi said softly, gazing around at the slowly growing crowd of teenagers. "Thanks for bringing us."

"Oh, you're welcome!" Kagome said bashfully, flapping a hand at her to dismiss it.

"Yeah," Eri chimed in. "This might be pretty cool. Yuka's just being paranoid."

"Hey!" said girl exclaimed, elbowing her twin sister in the side. "I am not!"

"Yes, you are! There's nothing to be worried about, you big baby! These kids aren't going to jump you or anything! And I highly doubt they'll brake out into satanic rituals in the middle of a song! They're Kagome's friends, for Christ's sake!"

"They're not _all_ my friends," Kagome mumbled, trying to herd them somewhere else where they wouldn't attract so much attention.

"Well, excuse me for being slightly uncomfortable!" Yuka screeched back. "In case you haven't noticed, we don't exactly fit in here!"

"What's that got to do with anything?" Eri yelled right back, matching and raising her decibel level.

"Hey, guys? Could we keep it down? Please?" Kagome tried to placate their argument and calm them down, but it wasn't exactly working.

"Kagome!" Rin's voice came from a few feet away and the girl barreled into her in a huge bear hug. :I'm so glad you could make it!"

"Um, hey, Rin," she muttered distractedly, glancing between the arguing twins and her friend attached to her waist. "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing," Rin replied as if there weren't two screaming girls right next to her. "Okay, so listen. We're fourth up tonight; right before the final act. The other bands are pretty good. I gotta go, though. So I'll see you around. We're going out for food afterwards, if you want to come."

"Um, okay. I think I can make it. Is it okay if I bring a few people with me?"

Rin just shrugged. "I don't really care. It's just Taco Bell, or something. Do they have money to pay for their own food?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Okay, cool," Rin grinned and backed away toward the door to backstage. "See you later!"

"Uh-huh. See ya."

And with that, Rin disappeared and Kagome was left with two screaming twins, Ayumi making out with some punk off to the side, and a crowd of angry teens and café workers, all glaring at her.

"Um… hey, what's up?" she asked nervously, backing away slowly.

X

Somehow, she managed to calm down Eri and Yuka, pry Ayumi and 'Mark' apart, and keep them from getting thrown out. That in itself was a miracle and she had no idea how she did it. But she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. And _Common Ground_ was completely awesome! They'd never sounded better and she was so proud of Rin. So all in all, the night wasn't _so_ bad. And she did come out in one piece; so far.

"So, what'd you guys think?" Kagome asked while the last band of the night was packing up its equipment and leaving the stage.

"I'm glad I came," Yuka confessed sheepishly.

Eri stuck out her tongue tauntingly. Yuka just shoved her away in annoyance. Kagome stifled a grin behind her hand, averting her gaze. Ayumi was too busy sucking face with 'Mark' to care.

"Well, it's not like I gave you guys much of a choice after your monkey impression earlier," Kagome muttered with a smile.

"Monkeys? Who was acting like monkeys?" Rin asked, walking up behind them, her arms slung over Sango and Ayame's shoulders.

"Just those three," Kagome said with a laugh, flicking her wrist in the direction of her three friends.

"Oh. Hey, guys, what's up?" Rin said blankly. "I didn't see you earlier. Did you come with Kagome?"

Eri and Yuka just nodded. Kagome knew that her best friends and Rin ran in different circles and didn't really get along. But that night, she didn't really care; nothing could bring her down tonight.

"Are they coming with us?" Ayame asked blandly, not even glancing at the small group.

"If that's okay," Kagome said with a hesitant smile. "If not, we can just go home. You guys were great, by the way."

"Thank you!" Rin grinned, leaning back on her heels.

Sango smiled softly, too. "Yeah, it's okay. You can all come along. We're not going anywhere special."

"Cool! Hey, guys, wanna go out for food?" Kagome asked brightly, glancing back at her friends.

"Sure," Eri and Yuka said softly, scuffing their feet on the floor.

"Can Mark come too?" Ayumi asked, breaking away from the lanky punk long enough to ask.

"Uh… okay," Sango said in surprise. No one had really noticed the bluish-black-haired teen until then.

"Cool," she said before returning back to her heavy make-out session with 'Mark.'

Everyone just stared at her for a moment, laughing uneasily. The pair seemed immersed in their own little world in which none of them existed in, so they decided to start heading out. The couple could follow after.

"So, where do we want to go?" Rin asked, skipping ahead of everyone else, swinging her arms.

"Well someone's in a good mood!" Kagome commented with a laugh.

"Hello-o?" Rin rapped on her forehead with her knuckles. "Where were you while I had _the best_ performance of my _life_ tonight?"

"Ahem!" Sango and Ayame interjected with annoyed expressions, hands on hips.

"With my lovely band mates, of course!" Rin added quickly.

"Thank you," they said haughtily, linking arms and striding past her.

The small troupe of people just laughed at the sight as Rin scrambled to catch up and join them. Kagome just smiled softly. Rin was acting more of herself tonight than she had the whole week. Performing really was good for her. She seemed to just let go. Speaking of which… She cast a sideways glance at her friends.

"Um… hey, guys; I have to speak with you about something," she whispered softly after making sure no one was listening in.

"If it's about Rin and her house, we already know," Eri said before she could continue. "It was all over the news, Kagome. How could we not know?"

"Okay, well could you please not mention it? She's been having a hard time this week and tonight's a happy night. I mean; look at her-" they all glanced in the girl's direction. "She shouldn't have to deal with it tonight."

"We know," Yuka assured. "And don't worry; we won't say anything."

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks so much you guys. It means a lot."

The twins just smiled and they continued on their merry way. Kagome knew that everything would be all right if only for that night right at that moment. Now if only she could say the same thing for the next couple of weeks…

X

"Bye, Kagome!" Eri and Yuka called from their doorstep later that night as she drove off, waving out the window.

Ayumi had gotten a ride home with Mark so Kagome only had to drop off the twins. It'd been a good night. They'd eventually ended up at some greasy spoon diner and had just hung out for a while. Kagome had borrowed her mother's car for transportation services and was glad now at almost eleven thirty for the faster means of getting home. Even though it'd been fun, it'd still been a long night and she really did need to get some sleep.

X

"Thank you, that'll be seven-fifty."

It'd been a long day. Working behind a cash register all day with only a short break for lunch could be very tiring. Especially when said cash register was broken and the bakery was full of customers. But it was for her mother and Kagome really didn't mind so much.

"Kagome!" her mother called from the back room, sticking her head around the door.

"Yeah?" she called back distractedly, scribbling down orders on a notepad hurriedly.

"I need you to run to the warehouse downtown and get me more flour! And strawberries and cherries and plums and… Granny Smith apples!"

"Um… Okay. I'll pick 'em up when this shift's over."

"No! I need them now!"

"But-" Kagome paused in her scribbling and stared at the doorway. "Who's going to watch the shop?"

"I don't care! Just go!"

Darting a glance at the line of people, Kagome started to panic. She wasn't Wonder Woman. She couldn't do everything at once – heck, she could barely do _two_ things at once! What did her mom want her to do? Just leave and expect people to go on their merry way until she got back? Like that was really going to happen.

Just then, Ayumi walked in swinging her arms and whistling a soft tune. Jumping at her, Kagome grabbed her arm and hauled her behind the counter.

"Ayumi! You gotta help me!" she cried, ducking behind the counter and pulling the startled girl out of sight with her.

"Uh, hi to you too, Kagome…"

"I need you to stay here and watch the shop for me while I go run an important errand! It'll only take a few minutes at most!"

Ayumi studied her face for a moment skeptically. "Do I get free pastries?"

Kagome almost fell over. Here she was freaking out and her friend was asking for _free pastries_! This was unbelievable!

"Sure! I don't care! Just please do this for me!"

Ayumi just nodded calmly. "Okay. Do I get to work the cash register?"

"It's, um, kinda broken," Kagome said sheepishly.

"Oh well," Ayumi just shrugged. "I'll be okay, just go and do whatever it is you have to do. But I want details when you get back."

Kagome had gotten up and started to walk away after Ayumi had agreed. Her statement stopped her in her tracks, though, and she wheeled around.

"What? Why would you want details? On what?"

"Where you're going, who you're meeting, what you're going to do – what else would I mean?"

"Whom I'm meeting?" she said slowly, trying to figure out what exactly she meant. Then it hit her. "Oh! No! I'm not meeting anyone! Mom needs fruit and stuff. That's all."

"Right," Ayumi nodded, obviously unconvinced. "Just tell me everything when you get back."

"No, you don't understand-"

"Just go, Kagome!"

Ayumi pushed her out the door forcefully. Kagome turned back around to argue some more but was only greeted by a slamming door. She watched helplessly as Ayumi rolled up her sleeves and dove head first into the crowd of customers. Sighing, she shook her head and started heading in the direction of the warehouse. She'd set Ayumi straight later when she got back and wasn't so flustered and drained.

X

As she was standing in line, waiting to purchase her items, Kagome's eyes drifted to the rack of magazines. Flashy captions and pictures stared back at her captivatingly. But only one really stood out at her: _Brand New Breed Scheduled To Release New Album This Month In Home Town Bash!_ Rolling her eyes, she turned back to the inching line. She'd heard way too much of that band over the years, especially since Yuka and Eri were so obsessed with them. Now they were having a huge party later that month at the swankiest club in the city and her mom was catering. The added stress was killing not only her mother, but Kagome as well. She'd had no time to study for finals next week at this rate.

Just then, the line lurched forward and she was shaken from her thoughts when a body bumped into her from behind. She was pushed forward into her cart, causing it to jerk to the side, sending candy and gum clattering to the floor. Her stomach dug into the handlebars and she groaned softly in pain.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going!" a familiar voice cried from behind her as hands quickly righted her.

"Oh, no, it's alright. I'm okay; I wasn't paying attention to the line."

"No, no! It was all my fault!"

The frantic young man was almost having a panic attack right in front of her. Then Kagome got a good look at his face. 'Oh, that's why.'

"Look, Houjou, it's fine – really," she said exasperatedly.

His head snapped up at that and he stared at her for a moment before breaking into a huge smile.

"Higurashi! Wow, I haven't seen you in a while!" he gushed; quickly forgetting that he'd just rammed her into her cart in the middle of the supermarket.

"Um… yeah. Not since sixth grade."

Kagome was really becoming uneasy now. There was a reason why she hadn't talked to him since the end of elementary school and she'd just remembered it. Houjou had developed a huge crush on her over the years and he would never leave her alone. She'd been so happy and relieved when he'd moved to Oregon at the beginning of the summer. And now he was back and he'd probably never figure out that she didn't return her affections… 'God, I hope he's turned gay…'

"So, um, how've you been?" she cut his ceaseless babble off, pushing her cart forward with the line.

"Oh, I've been okay," he said offhandedly.

Kagome just nodded, pushing her cart forward with the line. Glancing ahead to see how long she had until she could escape him. There was an old woman with a cart full of canned foods and prune juice, a middle-aged mother with an overflowing cart and three screaming kids, and some guy arguing with the cashier over the price of chips or something. This could take a while…

"Um, hey, Higurashi?" Houjou asked timidly, tapping her shoulder shyly.

Kagome looked over her shoulder at him and her face dropped. She knew that expression on his face; she'd had nightmares about it. This did not bode well for her…

"If, um, if you're not busy later this weekend, I was, um, wondering if you'd like to go to the movies with me."

Kagome almost fainted right then and there. She'd officially entered hell and met the devil. And his name just happened to be Houjou. 'Not again… Does someone up there really hate me that much?'

"Higurashi? Um, the line's moving. Higurashi? Hey, you okay?"

'God, kill me now! Save me the trouble of dealing with this guy another minute!'

_Um, so yeah, I just realized that the last version of this chapter was completely wrong. I was in a hurry and had to leave for vacation on Monday and didn't upload the correct chapter. So this is the right one. I'm in the middle of working on the seventh chapter, so I'll type it up when I get home next Monday. Sorry for the mix up!'Till next time! - Hope Swings_


	7. Chapter 7

**So Surreal – So Real**

**Chapter Seven**

_I normally wouldn't put a note up here, but I just wanted to say something. I know that the times between chapters five and six are a little confusing. Everything will be cleared up in chapter eight, so no worries. There's a reason for all of this, I promise. Well, on with the show!_

They'd been salvaging all day and all they had to show for it were a few dishes, a blackened baseball, the handle of a hairbrush, and some assorted photographs in various conditions. Really, Rin just wanted to go back to Sango's house. But they'd only sifted through half the charred remains of the lot that used to be her home. And it had already been a week.

"This fire sure was thorough," Maurice, her foster dad, commented, coming up beside her and gazing at the scene.

Rin snorted softly. "Stop joking, Maurice. It was a disaster. What're we going to do now?"

"Work hard, pick up the pieces as best we can and pray. That's all we really can do."

"I just… Why'd it have to be us, y'know? What did we do to deserve this?" she gestured around the blackened 'waste land.'

"Nothing. Things just happen and we don't know why. We might like to, but we can't. So we learn to move on and not dwell on them."

Rin looked up at the lanky, bespectacled, middle-aged man. "Where do you come up with all this stuff? At work?"

Maurice just laughed. "No. Goodness knows everyone there can't speak up for themselves," he paused and contemplated her words. "You know, they just come to me. I have no idea where they come from."

"Oh, okay. I see," she nodded, taking a thoughtful stance. "So you don't have a book of good advice that you've memorized or a man telling you what to say in a supped up van a block away?"

Maurice just laughed and walked off to help one of her younger foster siblings pull a corner of something wooden from a pile of rubble. Rin watched him go with a sigh. Sometimes she really loved her 'family.' And other times… well, stuff like this happened and she felt completely out of place.

X

"Ayame, sweetie, come here please."

The red-haired teenager glanced up from her book to meet the eyes of her sophisticated, gracefully aging mother. Furrowing her brow, she set her book aside and crossed the room, following her mother down the hall. 'When'd she get back?'

They stopped inside her mother's large, earthy-toned, intimidating study. Ayame stood awkwardly in the doorway while the older woman settled in her high-backed leather chair that greatly resembled that of a godfather's. She'd always felt strange and insignificant in her mother's study and preferred to avoid it as much as possible. The few times she remembered being here was when she was being punished, chastised, or lectured; sometimes all three at the same time.

"Now, sweetie, while I was off in Prague, your school called," here her mother paused and Ayame rolled her eyes. Lecture. "They informed me that you've been missing some of your classes. This is your senior year, and I understand that there's less pressure and more free time. Really, I do. But… these are fairly easy classes and there's no reason to skip them. You need to graduate and get into a good college."

"Mom, I know. It was only a few times and I'm getting A's in the class anyway. Don't worry about it." Ayame turned to leave, dismissing the conversation.

"But I _do_ worry, Ayame. Your father and I are not always around and when we are, we can't monitor your studies or free time. We would like to be home more but we can't."

"It's fine Mom."

"No, it's not. You need to be more responsible."

Ayame sighed and turned back around. She stared at her mother for a moment – her beautiful, independent, superstar mother. Ever since she was little, that was always how she described her. And ever since she was little, she'd been determined to be the opposite of her mother.

"Mom, I've taken care of myself since I was twelve. I think I can be perfectly responsible for myself," she said calmly.

"Well obviously you can't if you've been skipping classes."

"Sometimes people get sick, Mom."

"Seven times?"

"They've been excused."

"But we're all still concerned."

"Well don't be! You've never been before, and now that I'm on the verge of leaving this hellhole, you've suddenly decided to take interest? I don't believe any of this!" She turned to leave again and managed to wrench the door open before her mother spoke up again.

"We all think you should quit your little band and start seeing a therapist."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me."

Ayame just slammed the door shut and took off down the hall. Skidding into her room, she tore open her sock drawer and fumbled around in the top right corner beneath a wad of old socks. Feeling the smooth cellophane covered cardboard box beneath her fingers, she breathed a sigh of relief. Standing up from her kneeling position on the floor, she grabbed her jacket from a chair and walked out to the driveway. She couldn't be in that house another second; it was time to take a drive.

X

Sango stood in front of her mirror, smoothing down her long black skirt with her palms. Staring at her reflection, she frowned and ran a hand through her hair, toying with the ends of the thick strands. She pulled the dark brown mass into a ponytail with a sigh and turned away.

"Sango! Come on, we gotta go!" her brother called from the bottom of the stairs.

She took a deep breath and set her features firmly before walking down the stairs and getting in the car. She settled in her seat and gazed out the window as they pulled out of the driveway. It was time to go visit mommy dearest, and she was dreading every minute of it.

S

It'd been almost three years since her mother had died. It wasn't that much of a shock since she'd been battling cancer for even longer, but that didn't make any of it easier. Especially since she died right before Christmas and the day before Sango's birthday. Sango could still remember that day perfectly, like it was being repeated every single day.

_Her mother had been planning her birthday party for weeks, even in the hospital. She'd tried to talk her mother out of it, especially since she was so sick. But her mother was adamant and insisted._

"_I _want_ to, Sango. If I didn't, I wouldn't be doing this; you know that."_

"_But, Mum, _I_ don't want you to! You're going to too much trouble for my fourteenth birthday. It's not a big deal at all," Sango argued, moving to the other side of her mother's hospital bed and grabbing her hands._

_Her mother just laughed. Even in such a weakened state, she could laugh so easily. Sango sometimes found herself envious of her mother at times like these. She was just so serious and quiet, determined to do things by herself, especially in hard times. Just like her father. Maybe that was why she and her father loved her mother so much._

"_Sango, it's not every day you become a year older! It's something to celebrate! Turning fourteen is too a big deal! That's why I'm doing this!"_

"_I wish you wouldn't," Sango mumbled, looking down at the white sheets._

_Her mother smiled softly and gently lifted her chin up to face her. Her gaze was so soft and full of love; it was all Sango could do to hold back the tears. She might never receive that look from her mother ever again if things continued to go as they had for the past year._

"_Why, sweetheart?"_

"_B-because, I don't have any friends to invite," she said lamely, eyes downcast._

"_Oh, that's not true. Aren't Ayame and Rin your friends? Don't worry, you can always tell me, always."_

"_I don't want a big huge party, Mum. I want to stay here with you."_

"_Oh. Well, the doctor says that I'm doing better and I might be able to go home in a few weeks – in time for Christmas. We can have you party when I get home. How's that sound?"_

_Sango shrugged. "That's fine, I guess."_

"_Great!" her mother beamed, bringing a small smile to Sango's face as well._

"_But, what about my birthday?"_

"_We'll have it here. And I'll stick to your wishes – just you, me, Daddy and Kohaku. But my present comes at Christmas. You're going to love it!"_

_Sango's smile grew. "Thanks, Mum. I love you."_

"_I love you too, Dearest. Forever and always."_

_Sango nodded. "Forever and always."_

The party never happened. Sango's birthday never really happened. Christmas happened for the rest of the world, but not for the Taijiya family. That night, after all the progress her mother went through, she'd gotten drastically worse and hadn't made it to the next day. Sango's mother died the evening before her fourteenth birthday.

They buried her a few days later in a cherry wood casket with a pink granite grave marker. The relatives that had been invited to her birthday party had come down for the funeral, but no one felt like laughing or smiling. Almost everyone cried, especially her father and nine-year-old brother. Sango was too numb and shocked to do much of anything.

It was only after the funeral and her birthday and Christmas that Sango cried. She'd had to hold the whole family together and keep everything functioning while everyone else grieved. But a few days after Christmas, a package came in the mail addressed to her. It was large, oddly shaped and wrapped in brightly colored paper depicting bathing suit wearing Santa Clauses holding martini glasses surrounded by palm trees and scantily-clad, busty women. It practically screamed her mother's quirky sense of humor, but Sango shoved it in a closet and tried to forget about it.

Somehow, Rin and Ayame, her long-time best friends, found it and ordered her to unwrap it. The oddly shaped gift turned out to be her mother's old acoustic guitar that had been passed down in their family for generations that was one-of-a-kind and custom made. Only then did Sango cry. And sitting in the front hall, holding Hiraikotsu in her lap and in tears, Sango set in motion the events that would eventually lead to the creation of _Common Ground_.

Her reverie ended when they pulled up to the curb and stepped onto the grassy lawn of the cemetery grounds. The hike to her mother's gravesite was slow and silent, the noise of their muffled steps on grass, the rustle of fabric and the chirping of birds the only sound. Silent tears streamed down her brother's face and his hands kept balling into white-knuckled fists. Her father's strong jaw kept clenching and straining and his eyes were focused solely on the path in front of him, shimmering with unshed tears. Glancing between the two of them, Sango felt like a very solemn and quiet observer tagging along for the ride.

They arrived at the gravesite and just looked at it for a while. No on spoke; no one moved. Finally, her father knelt and began brushing off the marker and clearing away dead flowers and wreaths. Silently, Sango and Kohaku joined him. After that, Sango ushered her brother away to give their father a few moments alone. It was tradition. This whole day was all about tradition.

They walked in silence, side by side. Eventually, Kohaku looked up at her with his sad brown eyes and broke the quiet.

"Hey, Sis," he asked softly, his pace slowing with each step that he took.

"Hm?" Sango kept walking, her eyes fixed on the old oak further up the grassy hill.

"Tell me about Mom."

Sango stopped and turned around. Fixing him with a quizzical stare she said, "You were old enough to remember now. Why do you want me to tell you?"

Kohaku just shrugged. "You knew her longer. And better. Sometimes I'll think about her and not remember a thing about her except that she was beautiful and my mom, not about who she really was."

"Well, she _was_ beautiful," Sango smiled softly at the thought. "And not just picture beautiful – I mean all around, inside and out. She would laugh at the simplest things, too. If she saw something at the store that made her laugh or smile, she'd buy it, no matter what it was. Like the lime green, rooster shaped pitcher or comforters with gardening tools on them.

"She was always or singing or dancing or both. I remember she dragged me to ballroom dancing class just to learn how to Tango and then practiced with me in the kitchen. When you were a baby, late at night, when you couldn't sleep, she'd sing heavy metal songs acoustically on Hiraikotsu like lullabies, and she always had the radio on over everything, like her very own soundtrack.

"She was always making something, too. Trying out new recipes, macaroni necklaces, costumes. We played dress up every day and we were constantly making up new games and stories and songs. I think it was because she never really grew up and was going to be a preschool teacher before she married Dad. One day, we played poker with bubblegum cigars hanging from our mouths for beads and buttons – she was the card master.

"She always smelled wonderful and gave out hugs like no other. She was really kind and caring person, you know? You never forget someone like that."

"I wish I knew her better," Kohaku said glumly, scuffing his foot on the slick grass.

Sango just grabbed him in a one-armed hug and smiled wistfully.

"You know, people say that I look a lot like her, but you act more like her. So in a way, you can't forget her or lose her because she's in everything you do."

"I'm like Mom?"

"Yep, so don't get too down."

Sango glanced back the way they'd come. No one was standing near the light pink marker so she turned around and started trudging back, Kohaku right behind her. They spent the whole day at the cemetery every year, but she didn't want to miss and minute of it.

"Come on, let's go talk to Mum."

X

Ayame sat in front of The Ground House, alternately sipping coffee and taking a drag from the cigarette poised between her fingers. She didn't normally smoke and she'd always thought it was a very disgusting thing to do. But she often found herself returning to the habit after a stressful encounter, especially with her parents. She did have to admit though, the tingling calm that came after a cigarette or two and a big cup of coffee was one of the best feelings she'd experienced. So there she was, sitting on a bench trying to regain her center.

No one knew that the redhead smoked, not even Rin or Sango. Even with her cool, indifferent exterior, Ayame had always been a typical 'good girl.' And because of that fact, she normally didn't advertise that one of her only indulgences was a pack of Camels and a large cup of slow roasted Brazilian coffee, black. To her, it was like comfort food to a supermodel – rarely called upon and looked down upon, but she loved and thought of it constantly anyway.

Sighing, she blew a stream of smoke from her lips and leaned her head back. She stared up at the large expanse of sky above her as the light slowly faded from it and the clouds were tinged a golden orange, and her thoughts began to wander. Stretched out lazily on a public bench, Ayame Yuki's mind drifted back to when she was thirteen and had discovered smoking for the first time, back before she'd met Rin or Sango when she'd been a vulnerable little kid growing up with parents who were never around and everyone she knew wanted something from her.

A

_Ayame sat in front of her dressing stall's lighted mirror, methodically applying blush to her cheeks. The dressing room was filled with excited chatter and jumpy girls getting dolled up for the recital. She could clearly see the other girls through her mirror, flanked by enthusiastic mothers and fellow performers helping with makeup and hair. Ayame glanced down at herself and fingered the hem of her skirt. Maybe she shouldn't go through with this…_

"_Hey _Ayame_!"_

_She twisted around to come face-to-sneering-face with one of the worst prima donnas she'd ever come in contact with. The blond girl in front of her looked even snottier in her pink tutu and tight bun. 'Oh, God. Now I _really_ don't want to go through with this…'_

"_Ms. Tanya told me to tell you that you go on after _my_ dance. So you better be ready!"_

_Ayame just nodded and turned back to her station. "Yeah, thanks Kendra."_

_Kendra just huffed and stalked off, her posse following after her. Ayame just sighed and picked up a brush. She pretended to get ready while the other girls filed out of the dressing room, giggling and chatty and squealing. She had a while before she had to go on. Maybe she could still sneak out the back…_

'_But, Grandpa said he'd come, even if Mom and Dad aren't… Maybe I should just go through with it. Kendra and her cronies won't beat me up afterwards if I do… hopefully…' She glanced at her reflection in the mirror again. 'Yeah, I'll just do it. It's no big deal, right? I mean, nothing else could go wrong… right?'_

_With newfound resolve, she laced up her toe shoes and strode out into the throng of girls. Time to make some magic! Even if it did kill her feet…_

_A_

_The after party wasn't much and Ayame found herself playing the part of wallflower. The other girls and performers were all over the room, shrieking and exclaiming over the recital. Leaning back against the wall, she sighed and stared up at the ceiling. This was going to be a long night…_

_Just then, her instructor, Ms. Tanya, came rushing over – her face ashen. Ayame didn't notice her until she was babbling right in her face._

"_Ayame! Honey! You grandfather! He's, he's…"_

"_Um… What about my grandpa? Is he alright?"_

_Ms. Tanya just shook her head and looked away. Ayame began to get nervous. She pushed off from the wall frantically._

"_What's wrong? What happened?"_

"_The hospital just called," her instructor said softly. "He had a stroke. They don't think he's going to make it."_

"_Which hospital? I have to go see him!"_

_Ms. Tanya put a placating hand on her arm. "Don't worry, I'll give you a ride. Your parents have already been notified; they're on their way right now."_

_Ayame just nodded and rushed from the room, Ms. Tanya closely following. Her grandfather was the only family member she had really ever gotten to know. He'd taught her how to throw a baseball and play the piano. When her parents were gone on business her grandfather was always there to help keep her company. He was always supportive of everything she did and tried to come to all of her games and recitals. She'd known his health had been failing him recently and now it was all her fault he was in the hospital about to die._

_When she arrived at the hospital, still in her recital outfit, her parents were pacing in the waiting room, suitcases thrown haphazardly by some chairs. Her steps slowed as she cautiously approached her clearly stressed out parents who had obviously just come off a last minute flight. Her parents immediately honed in on her presence and pounced._

"_How could you let your grandfather out of the house!" her mother cried while at the same time her father softly said, "He wants to see you."_

"_Your father and I had to rush back here and find cramped, overpriced planes back here so fast!"_

"_He says he wont die until he talks to you."_

_It was like watching a fast-paced tennis match. And Ayame had the feeling she was getting whiplash. Her father looked sad and tired. Her mother, on the other hand, was livid and practically spitting in her face, she was so mad. Thankfully, a group of nurses came to her rescue and ushered her off to her grandfather's room._

_The hospital room was silent as she timidly stepped in. Heart monitors and a respirator whirred and blipped next to the starched and pressed bed where her grandfather lay, sleeping peacefully. But when she came closer, she say that the old man wasn't actually sleeping – there was a slight smile on his face and he gazed back at her through his eyelashes._

"_Hey, Gramps," she said softly, sliding onto the bed beside him and taking his hand. "What's the haps?"_

_Her grandfather chuckled silently and weakly squeezed her hand._

"_I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your recital, Ayame. I'm sure you were beautiful."_

"_Naw, I wasn't all that special. I'm sorry I caused all this trouble. You were supposed to be bedridden."_

"_Bedridden?" he scoffed. "That's just a term they use for old coots! Besides, it probably would've happened anyway. But I didn't even leave the house!"_

"_But, Mom said-"_

"_Your mother says a lot of things. Doesn't mean you should listen to them!" he smiled wryly at that and winked. "Now, I want you to know, no matter what happens to me, you need to be strong and not worry about what others say or think. Your parents are wrong to not be a part of your life, and damn idiots for it, too! You're a beautiful, talented young woman and I'm proud of you. Don't ever forget that! I love you, Ayame."_

"_I love you too, Gramps."_

"_I know it's my time to go now, and I don't want you to see it. But I'm refusing to see either of your parents. I want you to know that you get everything – and don't let your parents have any of it! Remember what I said and be a good girl. Good-bye, now, Ayame."_

"_Good-bye," she choked out._

_She stood up to leave and had reached the door before she glanced back at the frail old man in his bed. With a choked sob, she ran back and threw her arms around his neck in a big hug. She held on for a few minutes before he patted her back gently._

"_You know, Ayame, I'm planning to die in a few minutes and I can't do that with you here," he said in a soft and tired voice. _

_Ayame sobbed out a small laugh and extracted herself from him slowly. "Sorry. I'll go now."_

"_Alright. Bye Ayame."_

"_Bye."_

_And with that, she forced herself to leave the room. She walked down the hall, scrubbing at her face to clear away her tears and sniffling back the ones threatening to spill over. Her parents tried to get information out of her, but she just shook her head and walked past them and out of the hospital. She ran the whole way home and spent a few days locked in her room, refusing to eat or speak to anyone._

_When she did come out for the funeral, her mother dragged her into her study and gave her a stern talking-to. Ayame just shrugged her off and sat through the whole service silently and by herself in a back pew at the church. Afterwards, she came across a few kids in the alley smoking and just bumming around. She joined them with a few nods of greeting and acknowledge._

_Her first cigarette tasted horrible and she choked and coughed to the other kids' amusement. But she was determined and had another and another and another until she was smoking like a pro and completely mellowed out. When her parents called for her after all the guests had left, they handed her a breath mint and a bottle of Fabreeze. She went home and her parents suspected nothing. The next day, they were gone again and Ayame had the house and her father's cigarettes all to herself._

Ayame's cigarette was almost burnt out, so she put it out beneath the heel of her shoe. Gulping the last of her coffee, she tossed the empty cup in a trashcan and stood up. Sighing, she walked down the street and pulled out her keys. Above her the streetlights flickered to life, illuminating the sidewalks in orange circles and shining off her red hair. A few stars twinkled overhead and a crescent moon peeked out of the clouds as she drove back home. She might hate the house and the people inside it, but it was still her home and she needed to get some sleep. After all, she _did_ have school in the morning.

E

_Okay. Chapter seven is finished. I think this is the longest one so far. Have a great week and the next chapter should be out soon. Until next time! – Hope Swings _


	8. Chapter 8

**So Surreal – So Real**

**Chapter Eight**

Kouga Horikawa had always felt slightly put-off from other people. And not because there was anything wrong with him. In fact, he was perfectly healthy and very amiable towards other people. He had always felt this way because of his younger brother Shojiro.

Shojiro Horikawa was Kouga's younger brother. He was a sweet, handsome little boy that was a joy to the Horikawa household. But ever since he was born, Kouga couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of resentment towards his younger sibling. Not only had he taken his place as the family's main focus because he was the baby, Shojiro was also severely autistic.

Because of his disorder, Shojiro needed even more attention growing up than a normal child. Kouga couldn't help but feel neglect when all of his parents' energy was put into working double shifts at work to keep the family's head above water and taking care of his special brother. It felt like everywhere he went it was always 'Shojiro this' and 'Shojiro that' while he was pushed aside. Sure, he loved his little brother and constantly found himself taking care of him over the years for his parents, but the younger Kouga needed to be loved by his parents too.

Like the dutiful, mature older brother, Kouga put up a carefully constructed mask, learning to just grin and bear it. His family didn't have that much money and because of his brother's special needs, more and more money was siphoned into new treatments and medications. Kouga had to basically raise himself and his brother in his parents' absence. It wasn't so much of a problem as they both got older and Kouga grew to love and even appreciate his brother. But old scars still remain, even if the bearer manages to block them out.

He'd taken up guitar as a way to vent his anger and other emotions. And music seemed to calm Shojiro, too. So at night, when his parents were working the late shifts, and Shojiro had a fit, Kouga would gently pluck at the strings of the second-hand guitar in random melodies until the younger boy fell asleep. Through music, the two brothers bonded, even through hardships.

At school, Kouga fought for his little brother. When older kids would tease and make fun of Shojiro, Kouga was right there to make sure they didn't ever again. He built up a reputation defending his brother. That's how he met Miroku and Inuyasha. It had started with a fight for Shojiro that they became friends, even if the two were on the receiving end of his fists.

And then their band became well known and their record sales started to bring in more money. He didn't have as much time to spend with his brother, but he was able to contribute to his brother's treatments and keep his family out of debt. At every concert, there was a spot backstage for his family and anything he could send back for his brother music wise, he did. The money and the fame didn't really mean anything to him. He played music to play music and because it brought him closer to his younger brother when nothing else did.

X

The band arrived back home for their next albums launch a few weeks before all of the festivities were scheduled to start. Shippou's parents greeted him with warm hugs and big smiles. Miroku's godfather stood silently off to the side, signs of drinking earlier that day clearly evident, but broke out into a wide grin when the young, dark-haired adult came into view. Inuyasha's brother stood amidst the crowd of family members impassively. Kouga's parents stood beaming with Shippou's keeping a close eye on Shojiro just in case. Said boy stood off by himself at the terminal window, staring blankly out the glass pane in his own world.

All in all, it was a very happy welcoming committee for the four boys, even if a little rag-tag at first glance. They were family, every single one of them, and in their own way held a special place in each of their hearts, even if they refused to admit it. And the next few weeks before the launch were scheduled just for these people they'd left at home for what they loved to do most. So even if they were a bit strained and tense for a few of the party members, it would be exactly what they needed.

X

"Kouga, dear, could you watch Shojiro while we're out? Dad and I have to go to work. We'll be back later tonight."

Kouga just smiled at his mom and waved her out the door.

"Don't worry about it, Ma. We'll be fine."

"Alright. Be good. And if you need anything, the numbers are on the fridge." She said with a sigh before slinging her purse over her shoulder and walking out to the driveway.

Kouga shrugged easily and closed the front door. He'd been home for a few days, just lounging around. His parents had taken a few days off to spend with their eldest son but they had to go back to work eventually. They were a bit worried since Kouga hadn't been home much for two years and hadn't had a first hand experience with the new developments in his brother's condition. But Kouga wasn't too worried, so they had reluctantly gone to work and tried not to worry so much. Shojiro was their baby boy and they'd always worry over his wellbeing, even if he weren't disabled.

Kouga turned to face his younger brother who was just sitting on the couch, staring at the flashing TV screen. Plopping down next to him, he turned his attention to the cartoon Shojiro was watching. If the rest of the day went like this, the rest of the week was going to be a piece of cake.

X

Shippou woke up to the savory smells of his mother's cooking. Following his nose down the hall, he stood in the kitchen doorway, head tipped back and eyes closed, basking in the homey ambience. After a few minutes, his mother turned around and chuckled softly as she gently directed her son to a chair. Setting a plate piled high with pancakes, waffles, sausage and bacon, eggs, fruit, biscuits, and toast, she leaned against the counter and watched him inhale all of it with an intensity that only he possessed with a soft smile.

When he was done, Shippou stood up and enveloped her in a huge hug. She only laughed and wrapped her arms around his back in return.

"I love you, Mom," he mumbled into her hair. "I missed you so much."

"Me or my cooking," she joked lightly as she released him and set about making a plate for his father.

"Uh… both?"

"I'll accept that answer this time. You'll have to come up with a new one next time though."

"What're you doing today?" he asked with a wide yawn, slumping back into his chair.

His mother just shrugged. "I don't know. Work?"

"But I just got back! Take the day off, please?"

He clasped his hands together and stuck his bottom lip out in a childish pout. His mother just laughed and sipped her coffee. Over the years, she'd grown immune to the infamous Matsumura Pout after both her husband and Shippou pulled it on her for almost everything.

"The company doesn't run itself, you know."

"But Mom! I'm only home for a few weeks before we go back to LA! You can't work the whole time I'm here! That's like neglect!"

His mother sighed and shook her head. "Shippou."

The seventeen-year-old just left the room to sulk. His father came in, passing him at the door. He looked between his son and wife in puzzlement. His wife just turned back to finish his breakfast. Shrugging, he kissed her on the cheek and sat at the table.

"So, what's for breakfast?"

X

"Mushin!" Miroku called from the front hall of his godfather's house. "I'm going out! I'll be back soon!"

A grunt from the dimly lit living room was the only reply he received. Shrugging it off, Miroku headed out the door. Outside, he strolled casually down the street, fists jammed in his pockets and whistling softly to himself.

As he walked into the busier parts of town, buildings grew taller and taller, stretching their glassy panes and sturdy metal beams up to the sky. But what he was looking for wasn't a tall, state-of-the-art corporation building. Among the skyscrapers, church spires appeared further in the distance and Miroku grinned. He hadn't been here in a while and he'd subconsciously started to miss it over the years.

Slipping into the cold sanctuary through a side door and performing the customary ablutions, he reverently sat in a back pew. The alter in the front was draped in reds and golds and purples for the upcoming Christmas celebration. Behind him stood the wooden confessionals and off to the side stood the rows and rows of candles. The whole scene had always calmed his nerves ever since he was little and today was no different.

Ducking his head, he fingered the prayer beads and silently moved his lips over his prayers. When he was finished, he stood and walked slowly to the candles up front. He lit his candles and left, feeling a wave of relief wash over him as he walked back home.

It was a well-known fact that he was a devout Catholic. His band mates sometimes made cracks at him for it, but after a while it grew easier to ignore them. The habits came from his father and his godfather. Mushin was a retired priest and his father, when he was alive, was very serious about his religion (he'd been in training to become a priest himself). He'd never known his mother since she died during childbirth (though he was told she was Catholic as well) and he'd grown up in a Catholic home, so it was obvious that he'd pick up on the religious streak. Personally, he loved being what he was. It was part of what defined him, and his friends accepted him.

Grinning up at the grey sky, he noted with some satisfaction that it would snow soon. He'd missed the weather of his hometown. Down in LA it never snowed and the air was so polluted. And he had more than a few days to spend at his first and true home. He had three weeks before the album launch, so they'd probably still be in town for Christmas, too. He couldn't wait. Mushin would love his present this year; it was perfect. He just knew – this was going to be a good year.

X

Inuyasha grabbed his coat from the coat rack as he ran out the door, hollering a goodbye at his brother on the way. Sesshomaru just waved him off, not even looking up from his newspaper. The younger Taisho brother was in a big rush. If he didn't hurry, he was going to be late.

His long time girlfriend, Kikyou, had just arrived in town and he was anxious to meet her at the airport. They'd been going out for a few years, ever since he arrived in LA to begin his music career. She was Kaede's niece and had been in the music business ever since she was little. She knew all of the inner workings of the business, and after she had graduated from college the year before, she had come on as their manager and image consultant. It hadn't taken long for the two to develop feelings for each other and their romance had progressed into a full-blown relationship.

Kikyou was coming up from LA to confirm all of the launch party plans and spend some quality time with Inuyasha. It was their one-year anniversary and Inuyasha had a special surprise planned. But it involved Kikyou being present and if he didn't get to the airport in fifteen minutes, his plans were going to be ruined.

I

He arrived in record time while managing to avoid any tickets or traffic. But still, there was his girlfriend, standing gracefully beside her bags and leaning against a concrete pillar out in front of her terminal. The sun glinted off of her sleek black hair and large sunglasses as she tilted her head back as she blew smoke from her cigarette into the clear afternoon air. And as he sat there in his brother's car in the queue of cars, he marveled at her beauty and the fact that she'd chosen him.

He pulled up to the curb and helped her with her bags, still in a sort of trance. But when she pulled him into a kiss, he snapped right out of it. He loved the taste of her; it was something he just couldn't describe, but it radiated Kikyou and he never grew tired of it. When they broke apart, Kikyou simply got in the car as if nothing happened and Inuyasha simply followed her lead with a shrug. After a year of this, he'd grown used to it.

"Let's go to the hotel," she said as they left the airport.

"But-"

"I have a lot to do, Inuyasha. I know you said you had a surprise for me, but I have a job to do. I can't just go gallivanting around with you. This is important."

"I should think this is important too, Kikyou."

"I'm sure it is, but this has to be done _now_."

She turned to face out the window, ending the conversation. Inuyasha just sighed and kept his eyes on the road. He'd just reschedule for later that week. It'd be a little hard since he'd been planning this for months, but it was fine. Everything would be fine. It had to be.

X

The rest of the week, everyone had different things going on. Kouga was busy with Shojiro. Miroku lounged around Mushin's house and caught up on video games he hadn't had a chance to play. Shippou convinced his parents to do stuff with him, which involved window shopping down town and visiting museums. And Inuyasha worried about completing his surprise and followed Kikyou around like a puppy in hopes of dragging her away at some point in time.

The time finally rolled around for the launch party and celebrities and record execs started to pour into the airport along with eager paparazzi. The boys' stylists and personal pit crews attacked each with enough clothes and accessories to clothe King Tutankhamen's whole royal court and they were followed around at all times by at least a dozen cameras. Public appearances were arranged and Inuyasha and the rest of the band found themselves once again living the life of celebrities in their own town where they had gone to relax.

The day before the party, Inuyasha managed to set everything back up for Kikyou's surprise. But he didn't tell her and had decided to just show up at her hotel. He had cleaned up and bought flowers and was ready to give her the surprise of her life. The hotel staff was in on the whole thing so he didn't have to page the young manager for access to her suite.

"Kikyou?" he called as he let himself in with the spare key the receptionist had slipped him. "You here?"

There was shuffling and muffled voices coming from her bedroom that became clearer as he moved down the hall. In the back of his mind, he figured it was just the TV.

"Kik? Everything okay?" he gently pushed thee door open and poked his head inside. "I just came to apologize for… earlier…"

Instead of the scene he'd expected, Kikyou, _his_ Kikyou was sitting up in her bed, sheets gathered up to her chest and hair disheveled. The TV was turned off and the bathroom door was closed but there was a light seeping in from underneath. Glancing suspiciously at his obviously naked girlfriend, Inuyasha moved over to the door and wrenched it open, ignoring Kikyou's warnings and complaints.

He stood at the door for a moment, just staring at the immaculate white and blue tiled washroom. Not saying a word, he turned away, his face emotionless and his ears deaf to the words of the pop superstar. Instead he just walked out of the hotel and got back in his car. He drove off, his emotionless mask still perfectly in place.

X

"Hey, Yash, c'mon, we gotta go."

Inuyasha just shrugged Miroku's hand off and returned to staring at the TV. He didn't want to go anywhere, even if it was for the record company and their upcoming album. Over the years, they'd been to so many that they all started to blur together because they were all the same. Besides, Kikyou was going to be there, and he didn't want to even go to the grocery store because of her, much less a launch party.

"Jeeze, Inuyasha, she's just some dumb, cheating girl. This is your career we're talking about here. Do you want to let her know she won?" Shippou said from across the room, hanging from the doorframe idly.

Inuyasha just sent him a glare from the couch. The younger boy sneered right back at him.

"Leave him if he's not ready in two minutes," Kouga said from the other room.

"Thank you."

"The record label can get mad at him that way when we tell them we did all we could, but he wouldn't budge," he finished as he came into Inuyasha's living room, knotting his tie.

"Hey!"

"That's fair, Inuyasha," Miroku commented. "Now either come now or stay here. It's your choice, and you're not dragging us down with you. That's final."

Inuyasha grumbled but stood up from the couch. He trudged into his room to get ready and the other three grinned at each other. It was too easy sometimes!

In his room, Inuyasha was muttering curses under his breath. Why did they always pull this shit on him? What did he do to deserve this? It was Kikyou's fault anyway. If she hadn't cheated on him, none of this would've happened.

He absently pulled on the shirt his stylist had picked out for the party. He honestly hated the fact that the record label didn't trust him enough to dress himself and had to hire a stylist. Just because he showed up to a huge black and white gala in baggy jeans and a grease-stained t-shirt didn't mean he didn't know how to dress. Now the woman had him wearing gay ass pussy clothes! There was something seriously wrong with the whole picture to him.

He glanced down at the button-up shirt and blanched. It was the shirt Kikyou had bought for him for Christmas the past year after they'd started going out and she'd still been faithful. The shirt was a light blue and very simple, but it still held memories that were too painful for the twenty-year-old. She'd gotten it at some little-known boutique and had ordered him to put it on the minute he opened it. He'd worn it on special occasions that were just between the two of them and had worn it the day before for her surprise. He'd probably left it lying on the floor when he ripped it off when he got back.

Shaking his head to clear it, he was just about to rip it off when Miroku called from the hall.

"Inuyasha! Let's go! We're going to be late!"

"Give me another minute! I… Can't find my shoes!" he hollered back.

Throwing his shoes on the bed, he hurriedly dove for his closet to find something else to wear. But as soon as he threw the doors open, two things happened: Miroku walked in and noticed his shoes on the bed and Inuyasha realized that he had nothing else that he was willing to wear.

"Dude, you're shoes are lying on your bed in plain sight – hey, nice shirt. Come on, we gotta go."

"No, Miroku, you don't understand – I have to find something else to wear!" Inuyasha said frantically, digging through his closet in vain.

"Why? It looks like it fits pretty well."

"That's not it." Inuyasha had resorted to chucking pants and shirts behind him as he went deeper and deeper into his closet.

"Dude, it looks great, now come on." Miroku tugged on his shoulder, but Inuyasha just shrugged him off and continued his search.

"No, I need another shirt. But that stupid stylist lady didn't leave me anything!" was his muffled reply.

Miroku sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. This might take a while…

"Okay, I'll bite. Why do you need a new shirt when that one looks good and is already on your person?"

"Kikyou gave it to me."

"Oh, well, I think I've got a few shirts at my place if you'd like to raid my closet."

"Yours are worse than what the stylist gives me. And I think I found one…"

Miroku frowned at his friend's words as he tried to figure out what Inuyasha meant by that. He thought the stylist brought Inuyasha great clothes…

"Hey! I resent that comment!" he cried, leaping from the bed just as Inuyasha emerged from the dark depths of his closet, a new shirt in hand.

"Yeah, whatever."

Inuyasha tore the Kikyou shirt from his person and quickly buttoned the new shirt; not bothering with the fact that it was a wrinkled mess and a little out of style. Slipping on his shoes, he grabbed up his favorite jacket and headed out of the room. Miroku followed after him in a huff, sulking at the insult directed towards his fashion sense.

X

"Ah, Inuyasha! It's so nice to see you again!" the blond exclaimed as she threw her arms around the young man's neck and noisily kissed his cheek.

"Mmhmm," he replied absently as he continued on through the crowd.

This wasn't social hour… Okay, so it was, but he was not in the mood to socialize. He was too busy trying to avoid Kikyou and anyone from the record label. Spotting a fairly dark and secluded corner that was obstructed by a tall potted plant, he made a beeline for it and plunked himself in a seat. Now no one could see him and he could have a moment alone. He never really liked these parties anyway.

After a few minutes of tense sulking, a familiar head of black hair came into view. His already stiff shoulders hunched up even more and his proverbial hackles rose. She seemed to be conversing with some decaying exec and flirting with her usual reckless abandon. Just watching her from a few yards off made him sick.

"Kikyou."

I

He hadn't really broken up with her the day before after finding her in bed with some guy. But that didn't really matter; in his mind, it was already over between them. No matter how much it hurt him to realize that fact, he couldn't bear to think that he wasn't good enough for her.

After he'd stormed out, he'd spent the whole night just driving around and trying to figure the whole thing out. He'd eventually stopped and hid out in his 'secret spot.' But Miroku being the best friend that he was somehow tracked him down that morning and dragged him back to his brother's house. The other guys had been out all morning looking for him when he couldn't be found for some press conference. On the drive back, he'd spilled his guts, gaining him the sympathy of his best friend and confidant, but not permission to skip out on the party.

"_Can't we take _her_ off the list at least?" Inuyasha pleaded in desperation._

"_Inuyasha, I sympathize with you, I really do, but she'd our _manager_! We can't just take her off the guest list because you two broke up yesterday."_

"_But-"_

"_There's nothing we can do about it, Yash. Besides, even if she wasn't our manager, she's still Kaede's niece," Miroku cut him off._

_Inuyasha slouched further into his seat and pouted. Why did this always seem to happen to him recently? Did the world really hate him that much?_

"_I can't face her Miroku," he mumbled, facing the window._

"_What do you want me to do, Inuyasha? Rewind time so this doesn't happen and you can go to the launch without a care?"_

"_Would you?"_

"_Look, just go and try to avoid her. We'll be there to watch your back too. And I highly doubt that she's going to act like nothing's wrong. You caught her in the act. It's her fault."_

"_Well, I know, but how do I know she hasn't been acting this whole time? She's pretty good at acting, Miroku, if it's been going on so long without me noticing. I don't know what she might try to pull," he cried desperately, turning back around in his seat._

"_That's lame and you know it," Miroku pointed out._

_Inuyasha just returned to staring out the window. Miroku sighed and shook his head. They arrived as Inuyasha's brother's house to the relief of everyone and they all set about getting ready… Well, all except Inuyasha who refused to go and sat on the couch watching TV._

"Watch my back, huh," he muttered darkly, glaring at the surging and pulsing crowd.

As soon as they arrived, the other three had split, leaving him all alone. And now that he had no one to talk to, he was bored out of his mind. His twenty-first birthday wasn't for a few more months, so he couldn't sit at the bar and drink away his problem. The other partygoers were bloodthirsty kiss-up celebrity killers that he preferred to avoid at all costs, so conversation was out of the question, too. God, why the hell did he come here in the first place?

X

"No, no. It's not that he chooses to be in his own world. He just is. That's part of what autism is. He can't help it."

No one was paying attention to him. Sure, they were listening, but they didn't care about his brother, or even him. Sighing, Kouga downed the rest of his drink and walked off. Sometimes the world was just too depressing.

He'd spent the whole of his 'vacation' with his brother. Most of the time was spent on the couch, but he didn't care. It was actually quite relaxing for the twenty-one-year-old. He didn't have to do anything or worry about doing anything. All he had to do was watch his younger brother and try to keep him occupied.

Sure, there were the times when they went to visit his plethora of doctors and go through therapy sessions. But it allowed Kouga to catch up on everything he'd missed for the past two years. And it was great. He hadn't had that much fun or been so happy for a long time.

And now he was trying to make conversation with a bunch of people who didn't care. He'd hit an all-time low in a matter of hours. That must have been a new record. And the whole time he couldn't stop thinking about his brother.

"So, your brother's autistic?"

Kouga spun around to find a red-haired girl in a green dress. And she actually looked interested in what he had to say. There was a god!

"Uh, yeah."

"Okay," she said, coming to stand beside him, nodding her head. "That must be hard on you."

Kouga shrugged. "Not really. I mean, when I was little, yeah, but not any more. It's probably harder on my parents than either of us."

"How severe is it?"

"It's pretty bad, but he's getting better every day. When we were little, I was practically invisible because everyone had to watch him at all times."

"The invisible child syndrome. Fun."

"Not really."

"But having all the attention all the time isn't much fun either. Not that I would know."

"What do you mean?"

"When the parents are out for most of the year, it's just me in an empty house. But when they're home, I can't get away from their ever-watching eyes."

"So you've got busy parents. No big deal."

"Yeah, I've got parents that choose when they want to be parents. Like they can just turn the parents dial to 'off' whenever they want. Those aren't parents."

"Well, maybe they don't know how to be."

"Oh, they know how. In front of friends and colleagues, we're the perfect family. When I've done something wrong and need to be 'disciplined' they're model parents. Every other time, they're off in Prague or New York or wherever the heck they go, being a celebrity and the owner of a multi-billion dollar corporation. Oh, I'm Ayame by the way."

"Kouga."

"Um, look. This has been a very interesting conversation, but I should get going. I promised I'd come to be the prize daughter as part of my 'punishment,' but I have somewhere else to be."

"Where's that?"

"If you want to know, you'd have to come and find out."

And with that, the mysterious Ayame slipped into the crowd and disappeared. Kouga stood there for a moment in a daze. After a moment, he caught a glimpse of her red hair towards the emergency exit and ran after her. She was the only one who had acted like a real person the whole night and there was no way he was just going to let her slip away.

When he burst out of the emergency exit, there was no sign of anyone in the back alley. Whipping around, he noticed her leaning against the wall waiting for him. Grinning, she jerked her head to the side and headed off down the alley where a blue mustang was waiting.

E

_Erm… I think I'm gonna stop there. I know it was sort of uneventful (like all of my other chapters seem to be…), but I had a hard time with this one. I had, like, three drafts and this was the best one. So there you have it, the previous chapters for the boys were all kinda prologues, or what have you. I hope that explains it. Sorry it took so long. I don't know when the next one will be out. School starts in a little over a week, so updates will most likely be very irregular depending on the workload. Until next time! – Hope Swings_


	9. Chapter 9

**So Surreal – So Real**

**Chapter Nine**

Kagome had reached a new stress level. Her brother had a cold, her mother had locked herself in the back room until the launch party, her grandfather was out of town visiting an old friend, and she had to run the bakery and do all of the Christmas shopping as well as help cater the big party. Thankfully, school had let out for Christmas break a few days ago. Which reminded her, she had a butt load of homework from most of her classes. Great.

So why, exactly, was she sitting on the edge of the bathroom sink of a movie theatre being attacked by a makeup brush? Sighing, she tried to push it away from her face and attempted to hop down. Eri just pushed her back forcefully,

"Sit! I'm not finished yet!"

"This was a bad idea, Eri," Kagome tried to reason as she balanced precariously on the lip of the sink that just happened to be running… "I don't have time to go see movies with guys."

"But this isn't just any guy, Kags. This is _Houjou_! You're responsibilities can wait for a few hours. Now hold still so I can finish. He'll be here in a few minutes."

Kagome just rolled her eyes. Why the hell had she agreed to this? She didn't really even like the guy! Eri painfully gripped her chin and forced her head upwards. Kagome suppressed a wince and squeezed her eyes shut. This was going to suck…

X

A few hours later, Kagome and her 'date' emerged from the theatre. Even though she'd spent the whole time with Houjou, she had enjoyed the movie. She didn't know why, but she'd always loved old Sci-fi movies with really bad special effects. It was probably the joint influence of her grandfather and father. It'd been a while since she'd last been to the dollar movie theatre that showed old black and whites on Thursday nights.

The two walked around for a while, just looking at all of the window displays of the old working district. Kagome hugged her coat to her chest with a smile. The night wasn't too cold for heavy jackets so she was fairly comfortable in her thick pink sweater and jeans. They passed by a coffee house and she dragged her companion inside. Hot Chocolate sounded good right then.

They sat down at small table in a far corner and blew and sipped at their steaming cups. The coffee house was full of other such couples talking quietly. The lights were dimmed and soft music played in the background. Kagome smiled into her cup.

"So, Higurashi, what've you been up to?"

"Since elementary school or since we last saw each other at the market?"

"Either one."

She took a gulp of cocoa before beginning. "Well, school, I guess. Taking care of my family. Mama's been extra busy with the shop for the past couple years, so I run the house when she's not in. Nothing special really," she shrugged and gazed at the table top, tracing the patterns in the wood with her eyes.

"Okay, that was pretty general. How about since I last saw you?"

"That album launch is this weekend and Mama's practically living in the shop to finish everything. That's been fun. So I run the shop, which is fine since school let out for Christmas. And on top of that, I'm taking care of Souta and his cold while Grandpa's out of town for the next few days. And the whole catering thing and finding help is a mess right now."

"You need help?"

"Yep. Servers. Since Mama doesn't have anyone besides me to help with the shop, we don't have staff to serve food, and the place this thing's going to be at won't provide any either," she said sullenly.

"Well, I could help out, if you want."

Kagome's head snapped up and she stared at him wide-eyed. "Would you?"

"Sure. It'd be no problem," he said with his trademark smile.

Squealing, Kagome bounced up and hugged him excitedly. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! You have no idea how much this means to me!"

Houjou awkwardly patted her back until she let go. Beaming like the sun, Kagome sat back down, ignoring the stares of the people around her. Taking a large swig of her hot chocolate, she still continued to grin madly. Maybe this night wasn't so bad after all…

X

The next day, Houjou, Eri, Yuka, Ayumi, Rin, Ayame and Sango all assembled at the bakery early in the morning. Kagome had called in favors from Eri and Yuka after they'd forced her on the date with Houjou. Ayumi had become an unofficial employee at the shop over the past few days, and had volunteered a few days earlier. She'd even offered up Mark's services, but he'd been unavailable. Kagome had also called Rin and pleaded for help. Rin had readily agreed and volunteered Sango as well on the condition that she be let out early for one of their previously scheduled gigs. Ayame was busy that night, so she couldn't help out, but she was happy to be there for the morning for transport.

So that morning, the small group packaged and carted all of the food to the hotel. Kagome's mother had been dead on her feet and couldn't keep anything straight, so Kagome had sent her home to rest. After a few minutes of arguing, her mother had eventually relented, leaving the teenagers to their own devices.

"Okay, that tray needs to go on that cart and all of the appetizers need to go on that cart. And all of it needs to go in the refrigerators in the hotel kitchen," Kagome ordered as everyone else rushed around the back room.

"Uh, Kagome, does all of this go to the hotel?" Rin pointed to the bins of food on the counter.

"Um, yeah. Everything goes. Mama set everything out. But don't touch the cakes in the kitchen. Those are for other things. And the pastries that are supposed to go out front need to be put in the display window in front of the counter. Could someone do that for me?"

Ayumi rushed out of the room to set up that day's displays. Sango and Ayame started wheeling carts of food and trays out to the van. Houjou, Eri and Yuka were off on the side, packaging bins of food and tongs and towels and what not. Sighing, Kagome leaned against the steel island in the middle of the back room. They still had to deliver and set up everything. This was going to be a long day.

At one o' clock, they all had a light lunch and then transported everything to the hotel in the van. After that, Rin, Ayame and Sango had to leave to confirm everything for their gig that night and have a final run-through. It was only Kagome, Yuka, Eri, Ayumi and Houjou then. So they set up the kitchen and put everything in the refrigerators to keep it all fresh. Kagome sent them home with orders to be at the hotel at four in white blouses and black slacks ready for work. Then she went home to take a shower, wake up her mother and call a sitter for Souta after shoving soup down his throat.

X

By four-thirty that night, the kitchen of the hotel was in complete chaos as the group of volunteers and the Higurashi's ran around heating up food, setting it on trays and making last minute touch-ups. The party hadn't even started yet and Kagome was on the verge of a meltdown. All the others weren't doing much better as the time for the party drew closer.

"The mini-quiches got a little burned!"

"Where're the fruit trays?"

"Damn it! I just sliced my finger! I need a towel! It's a gusher!"

"I think I'm gonna be sick!"

"Put it under the faucet to clean it off!"

And with each passing second, Kagome's frazzled nerves grew just a bit more frazzled.

X

After the party had started and most of the temporary staff had been shooed out of the kitchen, things seemed to calm down just a little. They settled into the groove and rhythm that was needed to keep things going smoothly and no real disaster happened, so Kagome actually started to enjoy herself. In fact by the time Rin and Sango had to leave for their gig, Kagome wasn't worried at the lack of manpower. So she took up a tray of her own and slipped into the throng of people grabbing for food and drinks.

Loud, pulsing music played overhead and the crowded room surged and swirled in time, loud chatter turning the atmosphere into a frantic, blurred wall of sound. Kagome held her tray up high, trying to fight off groping hands and the solid mass of bodies that she had to navigate through. Deciding that staying along the edges of the room was the better choice, she fought her way out, emerging from the crowd with a sigh at the fresher air filling her lungs. If she hadn't have clawed her way out right then, she had a feeling she would have developed a case of claustrophobia.

Straightening her white blouse, she walked around aimlessly, smiling politely at people she passed. After a while, her tray was empty and she headed back towards the kitchen. But then she noticed the amount of trash and half-empty plates strewn about the table and decided to clean up a little. Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her hair, she gathered dishes and crumpled napkins onto her tray.

At one table, a man sat staring off into the crowd, an empty plate in front of him. Shrugging, Kagome made her way over and pointed to the plate.

"Excuse me, are you finished with that?"

The silver-haired man jumped slightly at her voice and turned sharply to face her. His face twisted into a scowl at the sight of her before turning back around with a humph. Taken aback, Kagome just stared at him for a moment, frozen in place.

"So not only do you humiliate me with some other guy, you now have come over here to finish the job in front of I-don't-know-how-many people?" he said angrily, not even gracing her with a glance.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, bitch. Well guess what. I don't need you. We're through."

Kagome sputtered for a second, digesting what he'd said. Who was this guy? How in the world could they be 'through?' She'd never met him in her life. Heck, she'd never even had a boyfriend to break up with.

"So why don't you take your stuck up ass and go fuck the guy from last night?"

"Last night…? You mean Houjou? Why would I-"

"Yeah, sure, Hobo, whatever. Just get out of my sight."

Her anger was boiling by now. He had no right to speak to her that way. She was just here to cater the stupid party, not be harassed by some arrogant, self-centered jerk who'd obviously gotten his heart broken and was taking it out on her. Setting her tray down firmly with a loud clang, she put her hands on her hips and leaned forward.

"Listen, buddy," she started, jabbing a finger in his chest heatedly. "I don't know who the hell you think you are to talk to me like that, but you'd better quit it. I'm just trying to do my job here, okay?"

"That's your excuse for everything, you whore! Were you just doing your _job_ last night with Homo?" he demanded, twisting in his chair to face her just as heatedly.

"His name is _Houjou_ thank you very much, and no, I wasn't. That's not part of my job!"

"Well it didn't look that way to me, _Kikyou_!"

Kagome opened her mouth to yell right back in his face when the last word he uttered caught her attention and she choked down her retort. The guy in front of her smirked at her small frown.

"What's the matter, Kikyou? Don't know what to say for once?"

Kagome scoffed at his self-righteous statement.

"Hardly. But I suggest you take a closer look at who you're speaking to before opening your big mouth."

"Stop acting like the Queen of Sheba or whatever. You're not that special," he gloated, turning back around as if to dismiss her presence and their 'conversation.'

Kagome angrily snatched up the plate in front of him and banged in down onto the quickly filling up tray. She scooped it up with a huff and turned to leave. The man sitting at the table just smirked at her retreating back. But Kagome came up short and twisted her torso around to pin him with a glare.

"And just so you know, my name isn't Kikyou, you blind jackass. It is Kagome – Ka-Go-Me. And I _don't_ enjoy being insulted by a complete stranger."

And with that, Kagome turned back around and stomped back to the kitchen. The young man at the table stared after her blankly before swiveling his head back around at the sound of a _very_ familiar voice. There stood Kikyou flirting with some guy that looked strangely familiar…

"Oh, shit…"

X

"Kagome, dear, what's the matter? You looked so happy a few minutes ago," her mother commented as she bustled around the kitchen, stopping in front of the gigantic oven and pulling out a cooking sheet of some sort of cookie-looking food.

Kagome just shrugged and sat down at the steel island to help place more food on trays. Picking up one of the 'cookies' off of the tray, her mother shoved it in front of her mouth.

"Eat," she ordered with a smile.

Kagome complied and took it from her mother and placed it in her mouth. She expected it to be some sort of gourmet and exotic pastry her mother had baked especially for the event. Instead, she bit into an average, run-of-the-mill chocolate chip cookie. Her eyes widened and she glanced at her mother in confusion. Her mother just chuckled softly and began removing the cookies from the tray.

"I figured you and your friends would want a treat after all the hard work you've done tonight. You have no idea how much I appreciate all of this."

Kagome smiled and turned back to her work. Mrs. Higurashi always knew how to cheer people up.

"So, are you going to tell me what was bothering you, or am I going to have to pry it out of you?" her mother said casually, not even pausing in her removal of the warm cookies to look up at her daughter.

"It's nothing, Mama. Someone was just giving me grief because they were hungry and I had nothing left but trash on my tray."

Her mother nodded in understanding. Kagome sighed quietly and moved on to another tray. She didn't notice when her mother glanced over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow, studying her daughter carefully. She knew Kagome wasn't telling the truth, but she wasn't going to push her. It was her daughter's business and she would let her know when the time was right. Or, at least she hoped so.

E

_I'm frustrated with myself right now, and I have a feeling it's showing in my chapters. I _really_ hope they're up to par, but I'm not sure. Maybe it's just that blasted writers' block. And stress from school starting up in less than a week. But I got awesome news yesterday and I'm totally psyched and sort of torn about my plans for next summer… I know it's really early to be thinking about it, but this is huge! Well, until next time! – Hope Swings_


	10. Chapter 10

**So Surreal – So Real**

**Chapter Ten**

"You're going to this party and that's FINAL!" Ayame's mother screamed from the other side of the 'living' room.

"Make me!" Ayame shot back, storming from the room and slamming the door shut.

"I WILL!"

Her mother's shrill voice could be heard from the second floor and a hallway down where Ayame had run to after fleeing the confrontation. Her parent's had been home for a week now and hadn't left her alone. Well, her mother hadn't left her alone. Her father just sat passively while the two fought.

Ayame had been to so many of her parent's little 'parties,' and she'd hated every single one of them. After an hour or so of being paraded around by her mother, she was left alone for four or five more hours in which time she was completely ignored. She'd been exempt from celebrity functions for most of the year since her parents hadn't been home. But now she was going to be dragged to the big whammy; the hottest party of the year; Brand New Breed's new album launch. Oh, golly, she was so excited.

Normally, she wouldn't fight her mother so hard on it. But that night, she and the girls had a very important gig that she couldn't miss. Besides, she was almost eighteen; she could make decisions for herself. Her mother was adamant though, hence turning the living room into the battlefield for World War III.

Really, she probably would've gone to the launch party anyway, but for other reasons and not as a 'trophy daughter.' She would've gone to help Kagome and her mother cater the event and spend half of the evening fending off starving supermodels, actresses and obese business tycoons and record company executives while balancing a tray of scrumptious goodies before she, Sango and Rin left for their gig. She didn't mind helping to cater the event while in attendance. She definitely minded being dragged there by her parents to spend the whole night in sheer boredom in a stuffy dress her mother picked out.

She hadn't told her friends and band mates that she might be at the album launch that night or that she might not be able to make it to the gig. Heck, she hadn't even told them her mother was threatening her to quit the band. She didn't want to worry them at all and hated bringing her parents up period. So it was all for the best if they didn't know… right?

Sighing, she slumped against her door and cradled her head in her hands. Her life was quickly becoming a nightmare right in front of her eyes, and she didn't know how much she could take before she cracked. She only hoped her parents left on another trip very soon. She'd already smoked through three packs of cigarettes when she would normally only 'indulge' in one or two after a particularly bad confrontation that occurred maybe once every time her parents were home.

Ayame crawled over to her bed and scrounged around in her backpack for her fourth pack of cigarettes. Shakily pulling one out and bringing it to her lips, she fumbled with her lighter before successfully producing a small blue flame. Inhaling, she could feel her body relaxing as the smoke filled her lungs before blowing it back out. She glanced down at the tiny white stick held between her fingers and sighed. Spreading her legs out in front of her on the floor, she extinguished the cigarette in a wooden bowl on her bedside table and flicked the burnt out cigarette in the waste basket and leaned the back of her head on the top of her bed. Her forest green eyes studied her ceiling absently. She was so hopeless…

X

"Okay, so that girl thinks she's so ugly that she needs to take drastic measures, like major plastic surgery?" Rin queried as she and Sango sat on Sango's couch watching some mid-afternoon reality show re-run.

"Yup," Sango said with a nod, completely engrossed in the intricacies of the program.

Rin just rolled her eyes. Some people were just beyond her range of understanding. How could people _think_ this crap? God made them exactly how he wanted them to be, and here they were, on television, altering their appearances just because the media told them they were ugly and worthless. And even worse, how could people _watch_ this crap? They were only buying into the whole thing and feeding the hideous monster by being so enthralled and mesmerized by it! Couldn't they see what was going on? Was the world today really so blind?

Glancing at her band mate beside her and the blank expression on her face and how she was virtually _glued_ to the TV screen, Rin nodded mentally to herself. Yes, yes it was. Rolling her eyes, the short sixteen-year-old stood up from the couch and wandered into Sango's room. Her bass leaned against the wall in its hard case next to the folded up futon that she was using while staying at the Taijiya house.

Opening up the case and extracting her beloved instrument, Rin sat on Sango's bed and cradled it to her chest, automatically tuning the strings out of habit. She plucked at the thick strings randomly, humming a soft melody to herself as she imagined the guitar and drum parts. After a few moments when the random plucking became a steady pattern, she began to sing words under her breath, pausing every so often to think over a tricky phrase or sequence and then repeating the altered pieces. By the time Sango managed to pull herself away from the glowing screen of the TV, Rin had a raw and untainted song on her hands.

"Hey, Rin," Sango called as she padded down the hall. "You okay?"

Rin glanced up distractedly at the doorway and nodded before bowing her head over her bass once more. Sango sat down beside her and listened for a while.

"So, whatcha doing?"

"Nothin'."

"Doesn't sound like 'nothing,'" Sango prodded, leaning over Rin's shoulder to see the chords she strumming. "Teach me, 'kay?"

She stood up and grabbed her Hiraikotsu from its stand by her bed and sat back down. Rin glanced up at her as if coming out of a trance. She stared at the older girl for a moment in confusion. Sango just smiled encouragingly at her.

"What?"

"Teach me," Sango repeated, motioning to the brightly colored bass.

Rin glanced down and flushed in embarrassment. It wasn't anything serious and she still wasn't confident in her song writing skills, even after almost three years. But Sango stayed put and kept looking at her expectantly. So with a sigh, Rin hesitantly started strumming again and sang softly, almost inaudibly. But Sango heard and grinned as the song unfolded before her. Rin was the best songwriter she knew, even if the younger girl didn't believe her. And she definitely wasn't disappointing with this one either. Rin was truly a musical genius.

X

Ayame was still sitting in the same position almost two hours later. Her eyes stared unseeingly up at the ceiling and she sat perfectly still. The room was eerily silent as the world outside of her four walls continued without her. Then her cell phone rang.

Ayame sluggishly rolled her head forward and stared blankly at the small, silver device lying on the carpeted floor where it had fallen when she'd been digging through her backpack. After a minute, the ringing stopped and she returned to staring up at the ceiling again. But a few seconds later, the ringing started all over again and she sat back up with a frustrated sigh. Couldn't they see she was busy?

Scooping up the incessantly ringing and vibrating phone, she snapped it open, not even looking at the caller ID and growled into the phone.

"What do you want?"

"_Whoa, girl, settle down_!" Sango's voice came over the end, startling the redhead.

"Sango?" she asked hesitantly.

"_The one and only_!" she said brightly. "_So, what's up in your neck of the woods? Your parents treating you okay_?"

Ayame ran a hand tiredly over her face. Leave it to Sango to blatantly cut to the chase. She really didn't need to deal with this right now…

"Yeah, I'm okay."

"_Really? 'Cause it definitely doesn't sound that way_."

She sighed inaudibly. Damn it, why did Sango always have to be so good at reading people? Especially her?

"No, I'm fine. No worries," she said with a forced smile.

"_Stop trying to fool me_," Sango said flatly, her bright and shiny mood slipping from her voice. "_Now tell me what's wrong_."

Ayame glanced at the wastebasket that held the extinguished cigarette. Nope, not happening. Not in a million years was she telling her best friend- Shit. Now she felt even worse! She couldn't tell her _best friend_ what was going on? Not even the basics of her inner turmoil? What a great person she was…

"Nothing; it's stupid. Don't worry about it," she finally said.

"_Don't pull this bullshit on me, Ayame Yuki_!" Sango nearly growled into the phone.

"I'm not pulling anything!" Ayame protested indignantly. 'Yes I am,' she thought meekly.

"_Oh, come _on_! Don't tell me that you're fully capable of handling whatever the hell it is that's wrong by yourself_!"

"I am." 'I'm not.'

"_Well_," she said with a defeated sigh. "_At least tell me, so that I don't pull my hair out worrying about you and your 'problems.' It's not good to bottle it up, you know_," she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Ayame couldn't help but smile slightly.

"It's really no big deal, San. Just stress from my parents being home," she said lightly, trying to brush off the little insistent voice in the back of her head: 'I've been smoking for nearly five years secretly from being over-stressed after Gramps died and my parents blaming me. Yeah, it's a pretty big deal.'

"_Oh_," Sango sounded more than just a little disappointed from her dismissal of the topic. "_Um, okay…_"

"So, why'd you call?" 'Help me!'

"_Uh, it was nothing really. Just making sure we're all set for tonight. Sorry you couldn't come and hang out with us tonight at the launch thingy. Rin super excited about it_."

Rin's voice came over the phone in the background. "_Heck yes, I am_!"

Ayame chuckled softly, finally settling down from having a fairly normal conversation with her best friend and hearing Rin's voice. The younger, perky girl had always been a bright light in her life ever since they'd met. It still amazed her how the younger girl could still find the strength to keep going and find happiness in her life.

"I am too. But I'll definitely be at the gig later. I just had to take care of some scheduling problems. You know how my mom is when she's home…"

"_Ooh, Ayame has a _schedule_ for once_!" Sango teased with a laugh. "_Great. I'll see you later. Have fun doing… whatever it is you're doing! Love you, babe_!"

"Love you too, San. I'll see you later."

"_Bye_!"

"Bye."

And with that, Sango hung up. Ayame sighed and ended the call herself and tossed the phone on the floor again. Lifting a shaky hand up to her face, she stared at it for a while before shifting her eyes and staring through her fingers at the wall in front of her. She stayed like that for a few minutes, face and mind blank, before blowing her held breath slowing out through her mouth. Pulling the same hand through her long red hair, she stood up and walked over to her full-length mirror, studying her reflection intently.

"What's wrong with me?" she muttered. "I'm falling apart. What happened?"

Her reflection just stared back at her with sad, green eyes, offering up no answers or excuses. Sighing, she leaned her forehead against the cool surface and closed her eyes. It was pointless to just run around in circles with herself and not getting anywhere. Maybe she _should_ tell Sango and Rin. She knew she needed help. But… her pride just wasn't letting her do that… yet.

X

Rin and Sango left the launch party at nine-thirty for their gig, laughing and joking as they drove over to the café, taking turns changing in the back of Mr. Taijiya's van that they had borrowed for all of their gigs. They had had a fairly good time playing servant for the world's rich and famous. At first they'd been a little awe-struck at the sheer magnitude of it all and at the fact that these people considered this as 'normal.' Then they got over it and imagined how it would be for them in a few years once they hit it big. 'Just like this,' was how Rin had so eloquently put it.

Now they were busy sound checking and putting on the finishing touches of their outfits. After all, it's nearly impossible to put on makeup in a jostling van and while you're almost rolling around with laughter. The show was supposed to start in fifteen minutes, and still Ayame hadn't showed up. They were actually starting to get worried; Ayame was always the early one.

A man in his mid-thirties holding a clipboard came up to them while they stood at the back door anxiously. Where was their drummer? If she didn't show up soon, they'd probably have to cancel… or come up with a random acoustic set… that they didn't have.

"Girls, any sign of your drummer?" he asked with a fair amount of concern in his voice.

"No…" Rin said with a sigh and a shake of her head. "Not yet…"

"This isn't like her, though," Sango muttered, frowning at the dark parking lot. "I don't know why she's not here; she said she'd be here…"

"Well, you've got ten minutes before we have to cancel your set," he said apologetically.

"What about an acoustic set?" Rin asked suddenly, turning to him desperately. "Just Sango and me?"

The manager shrugged. "Sure, I guess. As long as it's good and you're able to put it together quickly. I don't have a problem with it personally."

The two nodded and turned back to the open door and empty lot. They exchanged a look once the manager had left before sighing.

"We're in deep shit, aren't we?" Sango said flatly.

Rin just nodded, large brown eyes scanning the lot desperately for any sign of the redhead or her blue Mustang. 'Come on, Aya. Don't let us down now…'

X

Ayame maneuvered around traffic with ease as she chatted with the young man beside her. She hadn't really planned on bringing him or anyone else with her when she ditched the launch, but this just seemed right for some reason. And because she hadn't felt like anything in her life lately was right – besides the band, of course – she wasn't about to let this pass her by.

"So, you don't exactly seem like the kind of guy who attends these kinds of events. Why were you there?" she asked in a break in their conversation. It'd been killing her ever since she'd started talking to him.

Kouga sighed and leaned his head back on the headrest. "I had to go," he stated simply, crystal blue eyes closed.

"So did I, but that's not anything new for me," she said flatly.

"Well, don't you think it's rude if the guest of honor doesn't show up to his own party?" he shot back. "Since you're the expert on these sort of things, after all."

Ayame turned to him wide-eyed and slack-jawed at his flippant statement. Did he just say…

"Green light," he said, bringing her out of her daze like a jolt of electricity.

Automatically, she turned back to the road and stepped off the brake and onto the gas pedal. But her mind was still reeling. This guy she'd just met, the mysterious Kouga, was, in fact, part of Brand New Breed, the ridiculously famous band that had taken the world by storm. And he was sitting next to her, in her car, ditching his own party in favor of her company and wherever it was that she was going… This was unbelievable. And she said so in a voice barely above a whisper.

Kouga just chuckled. "Don't tell me you didn't notice who I was like everyone else who was there."

"No," Ayame murmured, shaking her head. "I seriously didn't recognize you."

"Oh, please," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "A blind old crone could've recognized me in that place."

He grinned at her and her breath caught in her throat. This couldn't be real. How the hell did this happen?

"So, where are we going exactly? You never mentioned our destination," he said as if he was just a normal person and not a universal celebrity.

Ayame glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Mentally shaking her head to clear it, she focused back on the road in front of her. 'Get a hold of yourself, Ayame,' she thought sternly. 'You're acting like a lovesick fan girl or something. Sure he's living out your dream, but who cares? Not you. Now stop it! Rin and Sango are counting on you to be there tonight and not off in Lala Land!' With a resolute nod, she tightened her grip on the steering wheel and her eyes sharpened as she stared down the stretch of road in front of her.

"Uh, Ayame?" a hand waved in front of her face, causing her to jump back in surprise. "Did you hear me?"

"What?"

"I asked where are we going," he said, glancing at her worriedly.

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about something. Hey, what time is it?"

Kouga glanced down at his watch. "Um, it's almost ten-fifteen, why?"

"Shit!" Ayame yelled, startling the celebrity. "I'm so late! They're going to kill me!"

And as if on cue, her cell phone vibrated in the cup holder. Snatching it up, she snapped it open, not even bothering to check the caller ID. Kouga just glanced at her skeptically.

"I know, I know, and I'm sorry!" she shrieked in her hysteria. "I'm on my way right now!"

That seemed to placate the person on the other line and Ayame listened anxiously as they other person spoke frantically in her ear. She nodded and hummed in agreement every few second before finally speaking.

"Yeah, I'm four blocks away, so I'll see you in a little bit. Tell them not to worry; I'll be ready to go on right away. Well, no; I haven't changed, but I don't have time do I?" she frowned at the response before sighing in relief. "Okay, that's awesome. I owe you, San. Yeah, I love you too. See you. Bye!"

Snapping her phone shut, she ignored Kouga's inquisitive glances and sped up a little. Taking a sharp turn, she finally looked over and grinned slightly.

"Sorry about all this. It was really bad planning on my part, but I didn't expect my socialite mother to parade me around for so long. I should have left sooner. Hey," she glanced at the back seat. "Could you grab that bag from the back for me? I need to change out of this stupid dress."

Kouga nodded and reached back, pulling a Trader Joe's bag into his lap. He glanced down at the contents and looked up at the redhead with raised eyebrows. Ayame just flashed him a look that clearly said 'What?' Kouga just shook his head with a smirk and continued digging through the bag.

Ayame's shoulders had tensed ever since she realized how late she was and she only seemed to relax slightly when the café parking lot came into view and she had swung the car into an empty space. She bolted out as soon as she had sufficiently parked and raced for the open doors and her two best friends waiting anxiously beside it. She ran into their arms and smiled brightly. Kouga had exited the Mustang at a more leisurely pace than the seventeen-year-old. He stood at the side passenger door, holding the paper bag and watching the exchange with a slight grin. She looked really happy. Just then, Ayame turned and motioned for him to follow them as the entered the back door and he jogged after them into the fray of the café's backstage world.

X

"So, Aya, who's the dude?" Rin asked as soon as they entered the bathroom and Ayame stripped off the slinky dress.

The redhead had just pulled her top over her head and was in the middle of struggling into it completely. The sight of Ayame stuffing herself into a shirt and looking at her funnily through the top had Rin falling against the sink in laughter. Ayame pulled the shirt over her head and shoved her arms through their respective sleeves before crossing her arms over her chest and quirking an eyebrow at the short brunette. Of course, Rin kept laughing, sputtering and pointing at her person. Fairly annoyed by this time, she looked down at herself and quickly snatched up her pants, glaring at her younger friend all the while. Rin just continued to laugh, much to Ayame's chagrin.

"Hey, guys, you almost finished?" Sango called as she strolled into the bathroom to join her band mates. One glance in their direction and she rolled her eyes and leaned back against the door. "I'll take that as a no."

Rin managed to calm down to only the occasional snort and giggle. The two older girls just stared at her for a moment before glancing at each other and shrugging simultaneously. She was always like this, they should be used to it by now.

"So, who was that guy anyway?" Sango asked after a pause. "He looked familiar…"

Ayame chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her neck, turning towards the mirror to distract them. Of course he looked familiar. He was a music superstar. God, how was she going to explain _this_?

"Eheh, nobody. Just some guy I met today. He's pretty cool and wanted to come along," she said offhandedly, trying to act nonchalant.

The two girls gave her identical looks. Ayame gulped, praying that they wouldn't notice how nervous she was. Why couldn't they just drop it?

"You just met him _today_?" Sango asked skeptically, crossing her arms and shifting her feet so that her hip stuck out in the 'power/don't mess with me' pose.

"Yeah, how well do you know this guy? I mean, for all you know, he could be, like, a rapist or something," Rin added, her mouth drawing into a thin line while she frowned concernedly.

Ayame shook her head. Of course they had to get overprotective. She felt like sighing in exasperation and laughing hysterically at the same time. Only Rin and Sango, only Rin and Sango…

"Don't worry, guys; he's cool. He's actually a perfect gentleman."

Their looks, if possible, darkened. Ayame just sighed and scooped up her dress and shoes before dumping them in the empty bag. Pulling the pins from her long red hair, she shook her hair free and fluffed it a bit. She could beat on a set of drums like this, not in that satiny dress her mother had all but stuffed her in.

"Come on, guys. We have a gig to play," she said with a placating grin as she backed out of the bathroom. "And I promise I'll explain about my friend later. Let's just have fun, okay?"

The two looked skeptical but followed after her. Rin turned to Sango though as they were walking down the hall to the 'green room.'

"He doesn't even have a _name_!" she stage whispered, glancing at Ayame's back.

Sango nodded in agreement, looking up at her best friend and studying her back as if she could figure out what was going on in the soft threads of her shirt. Ayame could hear every word Rin had said, but she just shook her head with a wry grin. She'd tell them later. They were going to laugh and joke about it and not dwell on the fact that Ayame had, in fact, been at the launch and that she was keeping something this big a secret. But somewhere in the back of her head, she couldn't help but feel that something bigger than just Sango, Rin, and herself playing a regular gig was happening that would set things in motion that they might not be ready for. But that was just a silly feeling that didn't matter… right?

E

_That's long enough, right? Well, my first week of school was good. Kinda boring and I find myself wondering whether it's really been four days and not four months, or something… But I'm excited for choir! Yay for choir! And my AP Euro class is pretty cool. I'm already planning out the next three chapters (since I do these things in threes, doi), but I have no idea when they'll come out. Until next time! Have a great week, or whatever! – Hope Swings_


	11. Chapter 11

**So Surreal – So Real**

**Chapter Eleven**

Miroku sat at the long bar set up on the far side of the hotel ballroom that the launch party for Brand New Breed's third album, Give 'Em Hell, Boys, 'listening' to a very attractive and chatty woman who either worked for his label or was some type of celebrity herself. He was trying to be civil and pay attention to her obviously very fascinating and important one-sided conversation, but it was extremely difficult. The hand in his pocket fiddled with the faded blue prayer beads that he had with him everywhere. Today was the fifteenth anniversary of the accident… The accident that had lead to him becoming an orphan…

"_Miroku, son, pay attention," his father's soft-spoken voice was stern as he tried to bring the daydreaming six-year-old back to reality._

_The young boy looked up at his father with big purple eyes. He was a miniature replica of his father, except for his mother's eyes. Taro Houshi's own grey eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled warmly down at the little boy. He knew his son had a tendency to drift off in the middle of their lessons. And he fully understood how boring and drab it could be to study the scriptures, but this was important. They were studying James and it was imperative that Miroku understand what the author was trying to convey to his ancient students and peers._

"_Now, Miroku, this verse is very interesting, can you read it for me?" he pointed down to the small print on the worn page of the open Bible on his knee._

_The six-year-old Miroku glanced down at the page and rubbed his eyes with his tiny fists, yawning widely. He dutifully bent back over the thick book his father took with him everywhere and squinted at the printed words. After a few minutes of blank staring, he turned his head up to face his father pleadingly._

"_Daddy, I'm tired. Can't I go and play with all the other kids on the swings?" he whined. "'Sides, I don't even get it! Why does the dead man talk about my tongue like that? My tongue is just my tongue! It's not on fire!"_

_Taro chuckled at his son's words. Sometimes he forgot exactly how old Miroku really was. For a six-year-old, he was very mature for his age and had grown up fairly fast from living with only his father in their tiny apartment. But it was times like this, when he realized that talking religious theory with a six-year-old that couldn't fully comprehend what he was reading was not something that his late wife would have… encouraged, that Taro missed his wife the most, yet loved his son the most. He couldn't blame the child for the death of his mother; he'd just been born when she'd died. But Taro didn't really know how to be a father. All the thirty-four-year-old man knew was his religion, so that's what he taught his son._

_They'd gotten by fairly well for the past six years. He couldn't deny that. But he felt like a failure when it came to parenting. They had come to the park for a nice afternoon surrounded by nature and God's beauty. Miroku had been so excited to get out of the house and play with kids his age, but Taro had interpreted his eagerness as something else. So their peaceful outing had turned into a lesson, when all Miroku wanted was to play on the swings._

_Smiling down at his son, Taro shut his Bible and set it beside him on the bench. Miroku glanced up at him confusedly. The older man stood up and stretched, looking back at his son still sitting on the bench discretely out of the corner of his eye over his shoulder. Smirking slightly, he turned back around and fixed the young boy with a hard look. The little boy was fidgeting under his intense stare, mildly wondering in the back of his mind what he'd done wrong this time._

_Suddenly, Taro swooped down upon his son and swung him up onto his shoulders. Miroku shrieked and gripped his hair tightly. Taro ignored the twinge of pain along his scalp and laughed out loud, taking off at a trot for the playground. Miroku whooped and hollered as soon as the large sand pit with the metal and wood structure rising in the middle like a grand castle came into view. Taro just grinned and ran him around on the concrete pathway surrounding it once and then stopping in front of the swings and pulling the six-year-old from his shoulders, setting him on the swing and starting to push him. Miroku crowed and gripped the metal links tightly as he gained speed and height, crying to go higher and higher with each push from his father._

_People around them smiled fondly at the sight of the pair. They were just so happy and close. It was evident that they shared a special bond and spent a lot of time together. After all, not many fathers took their children to the park for a day of fun any more those days. Most fathers were too busy with work and supporting their families._

_M_

_Father and son were walking home from the park later that afternoon when it happened. Taro held Miroku's tiny hand in his own and loosely clutched his old, leather-bound Bible and faded blue rosary in his other. They weren't speaking or even looking at each other; they were just staring straight ahead or, in Miroku's case, staring wide-eyed at the tall buildings surrounding him and smiling softly._

_But just as they turned the corner and entered their street, a man in dark clothes jumped out and snarled at Taro. Instinctively, Taro pushed the small boy behind him, shielding him from sight and harm. The man pulled something from inside his jacket and brandished in front of Taro's face. Flinching back, he noticed it as a gun. Steeling his features, he calmly pretended nothing was wrong._

"_Can I help you?" he asked politely, grey eyes discretely darting around, assessing the situation and taking in his surroundings expertly._

"_Yeah, ya can," the man sneered. "Gimme all ya got on ya an' I migh' not shootcha."_

_Taro sighed and held up his hands, palms out. "Terribly sorry, sir," he said with a sheepish grin. "I am but a poor father trying to raise my son all by myself. I don't have anything. All I have at the moment are the clothes on my back and instruments of my faith," here he waved his Bible that was still in his hand._

_The man frowned and eyed the book with disdain. He didn't want a lousy book and a beaded necklace! Damn it, he wanted some cash! This guy had to be lying. Who didn't caring money around with them? He was either holding out on him or he was a complete idiot._

_Scowling, the man shoved his gun into Taro's chest. "Don' lie to meh," he growled, pushing his face into the taller man's. "Gimme everything ya got, now."_

_Stepping back, Taro raised his hands peacefully and smiled kindly. He didn't want this man to get hostile and try to pull something. Not with his son around._

"_Now, now. No need to get so hasty," he said soothingly, trying not to spook the man into doing anything brash. "Let's just calm down and settle this calmly. I'll give you what I have, but it's not much, as I already said-"_

"_Jus' do it!" he said wildly, gesturing with his gun frantically._

"_Alright, alright," Taro said placatingly as he reached into his pocket and fished around. His calm eyes never left the stranger's face and he smiled slightly and warmly._

_The man was perspiring, nervously glancing back and forth. The hand that held the gun was shaking and he raised his other hand up to steady it. But both of his hands were shaking terribly and the gun rattled, muffled by the long, grungy sleeves of his coat. Miroku poked his head out from behind his father's leg and gazed innocently up at him. The man was getting desperate and didn't notice the six-year-old._

"_C'mon! Do ya have anythin' or not?" he demanded._

_Taro shrugged sheepishly and turned out his pockets. "Sorry, mate. I really don't have anything."_

_Anger flashed in the man's face and his hands tightened on the gun as his eyes became resolved and determined. Taro discretely pushed Miroku further back and shoved his Bible and rosary into his small hands. The six-year-old stared up at the back of his father's head in confusion. What was he doing?_

"_That's not good enough!" the man yelled._

_Taro held out his open hands again. "Sorry, I really am, but-"_

_He never finished his sentence. A shot rang out and echoed off of the tightly packed brick buildings. Taro spluttered for a moment before slumping forward onto the cold pavement. He glanced up at the man with slightly glazed over grey eyes and sucked in a breath._

"_I forgive you," he whispered hoarsely. _

_The man stared down at him with wide, shocked eyes for a moment before dropping the gun and running, scrambling over himself to get away. Miroku stared down at his fallen father as well, confused at why his father was laying on the floor. He clutched his father's Bible and rosary to his chest and shook his head at his father beckoning him forward._

"_Daddy?" he asked through his quickly clogging throat and blurring sight._

"_Miroku…" Taro rasped as the small boy crept forward. "I love you, just like I loved your mother. Don't be mad that this happened."_

"_Daddy, what's happening?" the child wailed, shaking his shoulder slightly._

"_You'll understand later, Miroku… Just trust in God and don't forget that none of this was your fault and that some things just happen. I love you…"_

"_I love you too, Daddy."_

"_Be good for Mushin."_

"_Am I visiting Uncle Mushin, Daddy?" he asked in confusion, still not understanding._

_Taro just chuckled softly, but his soft laugh turned into a rasping cough. With loving eyes, he pushed the hair off of his son's forehead and smiled slightly._

"_Be a good boy, son."_

_And with that, Taro Houshi died. Miroku sat, cradling his father's worn Bible and well-used rosary until someone came out to investigate what had happened. Someone screamed for help and someone else called 911. But he was already dead and there was nothing the paramedics could do. Later that night, Miroku was taken to his godfather, Mushin's, house. It wasn't until much later that Miroku fully grasped what had happened that day. The man who had killed his father was eventually caught and sent to jail, and Miroku stayed at Mushin's house. Wherever he went, he carried his father's faded blue rosary, and he kept the worn Bible by his bed every night._

"Hey, are you even paying attention to me?" the woman demanded, giving him a disdainful look.

Miroku shook his head to clear it of his memories that followed him always in the back of his mind. He turned wide violet eyes to the blond beside him. That hadn't happened in years… Why did he have to remember that right then? Here of all places…?

"Oh, I'm sorry. What were you saying?" he asked politely, flashing her a charming grin.

The woman just shot him a glare and huffed off. Miroku sighed and stared into his glass, swirling the amber-colored liquid around dejectedly. First his mother, then his father, and now he couldn't even pick up girls like he used to! How come he was always the one who lost everything? Pausing, he reflected on what he'd just thought.

"You bloody hypocrite," he muttered, downing the rest of his drink and ordering another.

Slumping forward and leaning on his elbows, he let his head drop further between his shoulders. This was not the time for an impromptu pity party. This was a celebration for him and the guys and their newest album. But a few drinks couldn't hurt, especially since he was already hurting so fucking much already…

X

The band stayed home for another week and a half before going home. Shippou's parents saw them off with huge bags of food and other goodies. Christmas was over and now they had to go back to LA to get ready for their upcoming tour. The next month was completely full of appearances and gaining more publicity so that more people would come to see their shows. Kikyou had the whole ordeal planned and down to a crisp T. For the next month, none of the boys would be alone or stopping as they were put through the grueling paces once more, all for the sake of being fulltime celebrities with multi-platinum albums and huge record deals.

And because Inuyasha never had a minute to himself or to just slow down and take it all in, tension ran high in the band and in the record label as they all tried to keep his and Kikyou's breakup a secret. There was no time for Inuyasha to get away and out of the public eye. And they all knew that he'd crack sooner or later; it was inevitable. What they didn't expect was for him to explode on a popular, _live_ afternoon talk show that most of America tuned into every day, especially for the Brand New Breed special. And explode he did, right all over the tabloids and message boards. It was everywhere, and no one could stop talking about it.

"_So, Inuyasha, everyone's just _dying_ to know," the perfectly quaffed TV host gushed as she leaned toward him in her over-stuffed chair. "Is there anyone special in your life or is there still a chance for all us regular girls?"_

_Inuyasha gave a tight chuckle and shifted in his uncomfortable chair. "Well, um," he glanced off to the side and caught sight of Kikyou standing beside a cameraman staring at him intently. Cutting back to the woman smiling thinly at him expectantly, he sighed and shook his head. "No, there's no one in my life right now; not anymore."_

"_Ooh! Really?" she leaned forward even more, effectively invading his personal space even more and giving him a perfect – although very much unwelcome – view of her obviously enhanced breasts. "Do tell!"_

_Inuyasha forced a laugh and leaned back in his seat to get as far away from her as possible. Why did he have to open his big mouth? Now everyone would be talking about it! It was supposed to be a secret!_

"_I-I'd rather not, actually…"_

"_Oh! Bad break up? We understand. It happens to everyone. Right everybody?" she turned to the audience and they erupted in encouraging cheers. "See? You can tell us!" There were more cheers._

"_No, no, it was nothing. I just want to keep these kind of things private is all," he said with a small smile, trying to play it off as no big deal._

"_Aw! Look at that! He's heart broken!" the woman cried to the audience, to which they all 'awed' and shouted encouraging phrases. "Come on!" she said, shifting so she was practically sitting in his lap over the armrests. "Time to get it off your chest! Spill!"_

_He chuckled nervously and shook his head. "No, it's okay. I'd rather talk about the new album –"_

"_Oh, pish posh! I can tell you're just dying to tell us about this mystery girl. Here, I'll help – was it Nicole Richie?"_

"_What? No! Why –"_

"_Um, okay, how about… Lindsay Lohan! Was it her?"_

"_No!"_

"_Oh, it was a girl back home, huh? Was she pretty? Is she selling your stuff on eBay?"_

"_What are you talking about? EBay? I –"_

"_Oh, it was, wasn't it? I'm sorry," she put a hand on his arm and squeezed it gently, grinning at him flirtatiously._

_Inuyasha just shook his head and attempted to get the woman off of him. She was pressing herself against him and it was really making him uncomfortable. And now with her squeezing his arm and smiling at him like that… Inuyasha barely suppressed a shudder and tried to inconspicuously pry the woman off of him._

"_No, I think you're confused. It wasn't a girl from my hometown or anything. I came on to talk about the new album and not my love life," he said as calmly as he could. "I consider that topic very private. So if you don't mind…" he held up a copy of the new CD while managing to twist away from her completely._

_The woman pouted but played along. This was what the show was supposed to be about after all. But that didn't mean that she couldn't revisit the previous topic… She grinned slyly and continued chatting with him about music and his influences for his songs._

_They eventually moved to a commercial break and Inuyasha retreated to another side of the room from the host. He was sipping a cup of coffee one of the production assistants had brought him when Kikyou stormed over._

"_What was that about?" she demanded angrily as she grabbed him by the arm to a vacant dressing room._

_Hot coffee sloshed over the rim of the cup and splashed onto his hand. He hissed and transferred the cup to his other hand while shaking and blowing on the scalded one. Kikyou didn't even spare him a glance as she dragged him along after her._

"_What was what about?" he finally asked once they were alone and had stopped moving._

"_That!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms out in the direction of the buzzing studio. "That whole 'I don't have anyone in my life right now' thing!" she had adopted a deeper, dopier pitch to her voice to imitate his own. "What were you thinking?"_

_Inuyasha just shrugged, trying to play off the whole thing as unimportant. As far as he was concerned, she deserved this for cheating on him. Not that he would ever listen to that voice of reason in the back of his mind. Besides, he was still head over heels for her. Her betrayal was just making him even more callous than usual._

_Kikyou kept ranting. "Do you know what that could do to your career? What that could do to _my_ career? _Think_ Inuyasha! Both of our asses are on the line with this show."_

_Inuyasha smirked and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall behind him. "Actually, Kikyou, my ass is perfectly safe. In case you forgot, our contract was renewed a few months ago while we were in the middle of recording. I've got a few more years before I can be in hot water with the company. They like our work." His smirk grew wider. "You on the other hand, could be in some very deep shit if the company found out about our relationship over the past few years. Sure, my name would be all over the tabloids with yours as a little footnote, but in this business as they say 'bad publicity is good publicity.'"_

_Kikyou stood still for a moment, digesting what he had said. Inuyasha just grinned callously down at her, his fingers tapping his arm as the seconds ticked by. Finally, Kikyou's face twisted into a scowl and stormed off. Inuyasha gave a harsh bark of laughter before taking a large gulp of his coffee and walking back into the studio to await the 'on air' sign to come back on._

_I_

"_So, Inuyasha, what are you planning for the future?"_

"_We're going on tour in a few months, but I have no idea with whom. The record label is in the middle of finding a brand new band that no one's heard of. We're all about promoting the local music scenes. I mean, that's where we came from, so why not give other bands the same opportunities?"_

_The host laughed as if it was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. Inuyasha resisted the urge to lean away from her and give her an incredulous look. He was on live television after all. And besides, he didn't want to humiliate the record label and ruin Kikyou's career…_

_The host had started talking again and he only caught the last part. Shaking his head, he turned back to facing her. The audience was laughing and cat calling. What had she said?_

"_Sorry, what was that?"_

"_I was wondering what it would take for me to get a date," the woman batted her eyelashes, shamelessly flirting with him on camera._

_Inuyasha almost threw up. "Uh, well…" he glanced at where he knew Kikyou was waiting for him to answer, her foot tapping impatiently and her face set in a furious scowl._

"_Aw, come on! Don't you like girls?"_

_Inuyasha stared at her as if she was insane. Was she serious? What the hell was happening? _

"_E-excuse me?"_

"_Oh, you heard me. We're all wondering what's going on with the mysterious Inuyasha. We never see him around town with girls or in the clubs. Is he a closet gay?"_

_Inuyasha blanched ever so slightly. "I-I don't think this is appropriate for live television," he stammered._

"_Well why not? The whole world's dying to know. Why not just tell us. Where have you been these past few years?"_

_She leaned forward, pinning him with a stare. Inuyasha gulped and glanced out at the audience. They were all dead silent and leaning forward, eager to hear his response. His eyes cut to the woman who had occupied his thoughts and time for the past three years, frantically searching his brain for something plausible that he could give them to ensure that they got off his back. This would be all over the tabloids in a matter of minutes and he desperately needed to save his ass before it got out of hand. But all he could think about and see was Kikyou, the woman his world had been centered around and who had betrayed him only a few weeks ago in the worst possible way. Kikyou…_

"_Kikyou…" he breathed, unaware that it had come out of his mouth._

"_Kikyou?" _

_Inuyasha blinked and glanced at her curiously for a moment before realizing what he'd said. Glancing at said woman, he saw that she was wearing the same face as the host: taken aback, confused, intrigued, and a little angry. Pausing for a moment, he thought over what was going to happen after he spilled the beans, for it was inevitable now. Nodding, he turned back to the gossipy host._

"_Yeah, Kikyou," he said with finality and resolution. This had been weighing him down for too long and it would be good for him to get it off his chest._

"_Who's Kikyou and what's so great about this person?"_

"_Kikyou… is my manager and… has been my girlfriend for the past three years," he sighed. God it felt good to get that out in the open! The host opened her mouth to say something, but he held up his hand to keep her quiet. He wasn't finished. "And before you ask, we broke up a few weeks ago before the album launch."_

"_Was it another man?" she breathed, leaning forward, wide eyed._

"_What?"_

"_Did you leave her for another man?"_

"_What the hell are you talking about? She was sleeping with some other guy and I walked in on them!"_

_The bleach-blond and the audience gasped and drew back collectively, which, in itself was creepy. But then they all leaned forward together, eager to hear more. Inuyasha resisted the urge to shudder._

"_Did it drive you to be interested in men?"_

"_What the fuck are you going on about? I'm straight! What is your fascination with me and being gay?"_

"_Well, you see, um –"_

_Inuyasha leapt to his feet, livid. He'd had enough of this woman and her hints at his sexual preference that were not subtle at all and thrown out so unabashedly on live television. He'd also had enough of no one listening to him and having his heart ripped out and force fed to him._

"_That little bitch ripped out my heart and still has the gall to act as if nothing happened! I was going to ask her to marry me, I loved her so much! But instead, I find her in bed with some bastard! I still have the fucking ring!"_

_Inuyasha reached into his pocket and drew out the small velvet box. Turning to where the petrified Kikyou stood, he snarled and threw it at her feet. The box popped open and revealed a stunning pink diamond and opal ring. Kikyou raised a shaking hand to her mouth and bent down to pick up the ring, tears streaming from her eyes. Inuyasha watched her for a moment before jerking back around to glare at the TV host._

"_You want to know what it would take to go on a date with me?" he spat. "You'd have to be the fucking opposite of _her_!" he jabbed a finger at the crouched form of the broken manager on the floor. _

_And with that, he stormed from the studio, not even bothering to look back. People ran after him and tried to stop him, but he ignored them and got into his car and drove off. A million things were racing through his head, but only one managed to wriggle it's way to the forefront: 'What did I just do?'_

X

"Oh, you should have seen them, Shippou!" Kouga gushed as they paced the rows of clothes at a thrift store down town.

"Kouga, I get it, you've fallen madly in love with a drummer from back home. I mean," he said with a grin. "We drummers _are_ pretty irresistible."

Kouga just shook his head. "You don't understand, Ship. She was… different. Like, she knew how I felt and what I was about. And she didn't treat me any different than someone who wasn't a celebrity."

"Are you sure she wasn't just trying to kiss up to you so that you would see her band play?" Shippou asked, inspecting a faded tan vest at arms length before nodding and slinging it over his forearm and moving on to another rack.

Kouga ran after him eagerly. "No, no, she wasn't. I'm sure she wasn't. She didn't even hint at it the whole time we were in the car or anything. I had no idea where we were or why we were there until she walked on that stage with her friends and started playing."

"Then why was she at the launch?" Shippou asked, glancing at him skeptically out of the corner of his eye.

"She mentioned something about her parents or whatever. And I don't really care! She's amazing! Her band is amazing! I have no idea why they haven't cut a deal yet."

Shippou turned to him then and pinned him with a hard stare. "Is that the love-struck dude talking or the musical genius?" he asked seriously.

Kouga just stared down at the shorter boy incredulously. "Shippou, come on. Just because she is the most beautiful girl I've ever seen and sees me for me doesn't mean that my judge of musical talent is dimmed in the slightest. Besides, Kaede thinks they're really good too."

Shippou's mouth hung open and Kouga just grinned down at him smugly. "What's the matter, squirt? Cat got your tongue?"

"Wh-what did you say?"

"I called her while I was at their gig and she heard them over the phone. She thinks they've got a lot of talent too. So there, I'm not just saying that because she's gorgeous."

After a few more seconds, Shippou shook his head and turned back to the racks of used clothing. They continued browsing for a while before Shippou turned back to his band mate who was eying a black silk sleeve poking out among the assortment of shirts. Shippou grabbed the hanger and held it up to his friend and nodded, handing it to him with a smile.

"So, what's going to happen now? Is Kaede going to cut them a break?"

Kouga sighed. "I don't know. I hope so; they're good enough. Hell, I don't even know if I'll see her ever again."

Shippou turned around suddenly. He had been walking and browsing, and his sudden stop had caused Kouga to come up short and teeter on his toes before regaining his balance and staring wide-eyed at the nineteen-year-old who was glaring at him.

"What do you mean by that?" the younger boy demanded. "You've been exclaiming about this 'amazing girl' for the past half hour and all of a sudden you say you're not sure you're ever going to _see her again_? What are you talking about? Are you just going to blow her off now and carry on with your life because she lives back home and is too much of a 'country bumpkin'?"

Kouga stared startled down at the shorter boy before slowly shaking his head. "No, that's not what I meant…"

"Then what _do_ you mean?"

"We're going on tour in a few months and she might get a record deal by then and go off and do her own thing while we are off around the world," he said sullenly.

"Oh…" Shippou said, sobered by his friend's sad words. "Well, haven't you heard of cell phones?"

Kouga sighed. "She didn't give me one."

"She denied you?" Shippou asked shocked. No girl had ever turned Kouga down!

"No," he shook his head. "I didn't ask."

Shippou stared at him wide-eyed again. "You didn't _what_?"

Kouga hung his head. "I didn't ask," he mumbled at his shoes.

"Well why not?" Shippou cried, smacking his shoulder.

"I… don't know. I just didn't."

Shippou sighed and shook his head. "You're an idiot."

"I know."

"So, what're you going to do about it?" Shippou asked after a beat.

"I'm not sure yet, but I'll figure it out."

Shippou just nodded and moved on to another aisle, Kouga following glumly after him. 'Well, this is certainly getting interesting,' he mused silently to himself. 'First Inuyasha and Kikyou break up and now Kouga's gaga over a mysterious girl from back home. These next few months are certainly going to be… fun.'

X

Inuyasha had practically quarantined himself right after the news started to spread like wild fire. He didn't eat, he didn't sleep, he didn't talk or communicate with anyone in any way, and everyone started to get worried. He was the bands front man. If he didn't go on tour, ticket sales would plummet and everything would just go down the drain.

But what people didn't realize was that Inuyasha was doing this so that he would be able to make it through the tour with his sanity still intact. He sat in his room and thought. He contemplated his life, his mother, his relationships (past and present), the band, Kikyou, the launch party, and the show from hell. Inuyasha reached inside him and tried to confront everything he had ever experienced and contemplated where his life was going and how screwed up everything was. He started from the very beginning and moved on up, starting with his mother and childhood.

_A small, silver-haired boy sat in the waiting room of the hospital by himself. No one approached him or tried to talk to him. He just sat there, swinging his too-short-to-reach-the-ground legs and twiddling his thumbs. Nurses passing by glanced warily at him out of the corners of their eyes and whispered to each other about him._

"_He's the illegitimate son of Senator Taisho," one stage whispered to her co-worker. _

_The other woman nodded knowingly. "I heard his mother seduced him and had his kid to get money out of him," she said conspiratorially._

"_Pft. Serves her right to be stuck here. No wonder she can afford such extensive treatments."_

_The two women scoffed and sauntered off. The little boy didn't even bat an eye. He just stared straight at the wall, just like he'd been doing every Tuesday and Thursday for seven or eight hours for the past few months. He'd gotten used to the stares and whispers about him and his mother. Most of it he didn't even understand, but he clearly got the message that he wasn't wanted. And he knew that it was because of him that the nurses treated his mother so badly. He wasn't blind and he wasn't deaf; he just wished and pretended he was._

"_Inuyasha!"_

_The little boy's head whipped around to see his half-brother stalking towards him. He was just about to hop down from his perch on the hard plastic chair when the older boy yanked on his arm and started dragging him down the hall._

"_Let's go, you worthless mutt! Father's here to take us home and he's not going to wait forever. I've been looking all over for you!"_

_The little silver-haired boy just bowed his head and obediently followed after the taller and stronger boy. Sesshomaru knew where he waited every day. He didn't need to look very far to find him. But the older boy blamed him and his mother for why his mother was gone and why he now had to share his father's affections. It was easier for him to vent all of his anger on the younger boy when their father came to pick them up and say he was causing him even more trouble. And Inuyasha didn't mind. He blamed himself too. He was the reason why his mother was so sick all of the time. It was all his fault._

_I_

"_Inuyasha you little bastard! Get your lazy ass down here!" Sesshomaru called from the kitchen, banging pots and pans around while he made breakfast._

_Inuyasha stood up from where he'd been sitting in front of his father's bedroom door and trudged down the hallway and into the kitchen. It'd been three months since his mother had died and his father rarely came out of his room any more. He normally wouldn't permit Sesshomaru to talk that way, especially not to his half-brother, but he didn't care anymore. He didn't care about a lot of things these days._

_Inuyasha slipped into a chair at the kitchen table and rested his head on his folded arms. Staring lethargically at the opposite wall, he waited for Sesshomaru to put his food in front of him so that he could pick at it and then leave for kindergarten. His father and brother didn't care that he stayed up past his bedtime or that he ate what ever he wanted, they didn't even care that he walked to school by himself every morning. Sesshomaru grudgingly fed him breakfast every morning and made sure he had clean clothes, but that was about it. For everything else, Inuyasha was on his own._

_After breakfast, Inuyasha slipped from his chair and rinsed off his dishes in the sink and slipped his sneakers on his feet before leaving the house with only his little backpack and an apple for lunch. He took the back streets, mindful of the bullies that picked on him almost every morning when he couldn't outrun them. If he could get to the playground in one piece he was fairly safe until recess. And if he was lucky, he might have chalkboard duty and get to stay inside and out of harm._

_This morning, he arrived at the schoolyard without a trace of Jason and his gang of fourth graders. He solemnly passed the row of mothers sending off their children with hugs and kisses and cheery good-byes. Three months ago, that would have been him if his mother had gotten better. But now… now he had to hide out in classrooms from the older children._

_As he entered the fenced off yard, there was a crowd of children gathered around a group of boys, screaming and cheering. They had found a new victim, probably a new kid. Inuyasha winced at the memories of his first beating from the older kids and sympathized with the poor soul who was currently on the receiving end of their fists. In the back of his mind, he knew that he should probably go and help him out, but… it was best to just ignore the helpless kid and be as inconspicuous as possible. After all, it wasn't every day that he got a reprieve from the schoolyard bullies._

_Just then a teacher came running out, blowing a whistle and quickly dispersing the crowd of students. He took the battered little boy into the building and to the nurse's office to get him treated. Inuyasha watched them leave before ducking his head and shuffling up to his classroom. There was no reason for him to interfere. The school faculty would take care of it; they usually always did._

_I_

_The teacher was out of the classroom during lunch, so Inuyasha remained at his desk and munched on his apple in silence. The door creaked open slowly and a head appeared in the doorway._

"_Um… Do mind if I join you?" the boy's voice asked softly._

_Inuyasha's head whipped around to face the bruised head in the doorway. It was the kid from earlier that morning… He was still conscious? He just shook his head slowly, watching as the other boy quietly slipped in and gave him a weak smile as he sat at the desk next to him._

"_Hi, I'm Miroku," he said extending his hand with busted knuckles covered in flimsy band-aids. Inuyasha looked down at his hand slightly startled. The kid had put up a fight._

"_Inuyasha," he replied, shaking his hand briefly._

_The boy's smile grew and he settled into his seat before reaching into his bag and pulling out a brown paper bag that was neatly folded at the top. He took out his lunch, piece by piece and laid them out neatly on the desk. Observing his work, he finally unwrapped his sandwich and dug in, oblivious to Inuyasha's hungry stares._

_After a while, Inuyasha shrugged and returned to his apple. The two sat in silence, eating their lunches and just enjoying the peace inside the classroom. They parted when the bell rang and Inuyasha settled down for a long rest of the day, unaware that that day was the beginning of a long-time friendship and a running tradition between the two._

_I_

"_D-daddy?" Inuyasha called softly, pushing the door to his father's room open. _

_There was no reply and he advanced into the dark room, glancing around nervously. His father's room had always given off a sense of forbidden-ness ever since his mother had died and he had no intention of going near it ever again… Except for today…_

"_Daddy? Are you in here?" he called again, his voice growing a little in confidence._

_Still no answer. Shuffling forward, he peered around to make sure that he wasn't missing the middle-age man. His heart pound in his chest as his wide eyes jumped from object to object in the barren and neglected room. If he didn't find his father… Shuddering, he pushed the thoughts from his mind. He didn't want to think about that._

"_Sesshomaru wants to talk to you, Daddy. He says it's really important and if…" There was a shuffling in the adjoining bathroom behind the partially open door._

_Curious, Inuyasha stepped up to the door and peeked inside. His father sat slumped against the side of the bathtub, his head lolling to the side. There was an assortment of prescription bottles scattered on the floor and pills were rolling on the stark-white tiles, tiny round capsules of blue, red, yellow, white, and purple. Puzzled, he stepped into the small bathroom and stooped down to be level with his father._

"_Daddy?" he asked, gently prodding his shoulder._

_His father weakly shrugged his hand away and shook his head once, quickly giving up on the effort. Bending over even further, Inuyasha looked up into the taught and prematurely aged face of his once strong and reliable father. What he saw made him jump back in surprise. That man sitting on the floor wasn't his father! His father wasn't skin and bones with blood-shot eyes and an ashen complexion! What had happened these last few months?_

_Inuyasha landed heavily on his knees but ignored the sharp pain in favor of his father. "Daddy? Are you okay? Daddy?"_

_He tilted his father's head back to look at him again, inspecting his unkempt form with narrowed eyes. His father stared back at him with dull, unfocused eyes so like his own. While he stared into his son's eyes, his father smiled slightly._

"_It's almost over, Izayoi," he croaked out with a soft, barking laugh that turned into a hacking cough. "We'll be together again soon…"_

_Inuyasha stared down at his father wide-eyed. What was going on? Almost over…? What was he talking about? His father took a shaking breath and began talking again._

"_The boys don't need me anymore. Sesshomaru can take care of Inuyasha. And they're both big boys. They can take care of each other," he sighed, his stagnant breath fanning across Inuyasha's face. "Besides, all I ever wanted was you, Izzy. You're the love of my life and nothing else matters except for you. I love you."_

_And with that, he gave off another soft sigh and his head slipped from Inuyasha's hands and their light grip to fall over the side of the tub, his neck limply resting on the edge of the tiled basin. Inuyasha kept staring as his father's chest remained still and his glazed eyes stared unseeing at the bathroom wall. He didn't even register that his father was dead. All he knew was that something was wrong and Sesshomaru was going to kill him._

_Starting to panic, Inuyasha backed away from his father and scrambled for something to hold onto that would allow him to stand up and run away. His back bumped into the sink and he frantically got to his feet. He was about to dash out of the suddenly too small white room when he heard his brother coming in the room, obviously looking for him… and their father… Inuyasha's heart rate sped up even more and his breath came in short puffs, his chest heaving as his brother came closer and closer. His eyes darted around the tiny bathroom searching desperately for a way out. And then suddenly Sesshomaru was standing in the doorway, assessing what had happened with his sharp, critical eyes._

"_Inuyasha, what did you do?" his deep voice rumbled._

"_I… I…" he stuttered, trying desperately to take in air through his tight throat as terror took an even tighter hold on his body._

"_Well?" Sesshomaru crossed his arms and began to tap his foot impatiently._

"_I… don't… kn-know…" he breathed before he collapsed from fear and overexertion, darkness overtaking his vision as he lay sprawled on the floor among his father's pills and bottles opposite his father's lifeless body._

E

_Well, that was much longer than I planned… sorry if this has taken a few months… School's been killing me. That's my only excuse. It also took a while to write all of the Inuyasha sequences wit his past and everything. It just kept getting longer and longer! But I couldn't cut anything out or put it in the next BNB chapter. Did anyone get my Bible humor in the Miroku and his dad segment? If there are any questions, just let me know. I'll try to answer any and all to my best capabilities. _

_The next chapter might be out before Christmas break and it might not. I really don't know. My life's been hectic recently, especially with preparation for my Christmas/Winter concert… Well, until next time everyone! – Hope Swings_


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